Tribute
by maremarethebear
Summary: What if Katniss couldn't volunteer to take Prim's place? What if Prim was in the 74th Hunger Games instead of Katniss?
1. The Reaping

*IMPORTANT* In this version Katniss _**CANNOT**_ volunteer to save Prim. It's against the law. This also means no Careers so *YAY* But booo because Prim's in. Read and find out what happens!

Katniss P.O.V

"And may the odds ever be in your favor," Effie Trinket, our districts representative, says in an overly chipper tone. My anger at the capital and fear of someone I love being chosen is mixes together into an indescribable feeling. "Ladies first!" she says. She reaches her hand into the glass bowl holding the names of every female in the district between the ages of 12 and 18. I bit my lip so hard it started bleeding. My hands gripped my dress fiercely. Effie pulled out a thin piece of paper with the name of the female District 12 tribute.

"Prim Everdeen!" she says cheerfully. My heart dropped to the ground. The world was spinning.

"NO!" I screamed. Every head turned in my direction. My heart was pounding in my chest. I looked up and met what looked like a million eyes. I paid no attention to anyone and quickly broke out of the ranks of the rest of the 16 year old girls. "Please, there has to be a way to save her," I said desperately. I had done everything to keep her safe. I had signed up for teserae and refused to let her. My name was in the ball 20 times. Hers was in once. The odds _were_ in her favor. How could this happen? I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Gale, my best friend and hunting partner. He shook his head. _I must be breaking so many laws, _I thought to myself. Effie looked at me, her brightly colored hair stirred by the light wind. Gale pulled me away. "Please," I said. "Can you please let me go in instead of her. I'll do anything." Effie just stared at me. I don't think she understood. She was from the capital. There's no way she could.

"I'm sorry miss, but that's against the rules." I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to pour out of my eyes. I had to be strong. For Prim's sake. I let Gale drag me back to my age group and I reluctantly stayed put. Prim was already standing on the stage. I looked up and caught her eye. There were tears running down her cheeks. She stared at me with her frightened eyes. My ears were buzzing so it took me a minute to realize Effie was about to announce the male tribute, the guy who was going to be fighting to kill my sister.

"Peeta Mellark!" Effie said. My head whipped around. _He _was the other tribute? I saw him walk up to the stage wide eyed. Oh no. Not him. The boy who saved my sisters life was now going to be forced to kill her.


	2. The Goodbye

Katniss P.O.V

They were taking Prim and Peeta to the Justice building. They had an hour to say goodbye to their friends and family. I sprinted after them my feet pounding against the ground. I pushed through the crowds of people ignoring their protests. I kept running. When I finally slammed open the doors of the Justice Building I was wracked with a wave of pain. This is where I received the "award" for my father's death on behalf of my family. I pushed back the horrible feelings quickly and kept running. I felt someone grab my arm and throw me back. It was a Peacekeeper.

"Name and relationship to the tributes," he said harshly. I was panting heavily.

"Katniss Everdeen," I said. "I need to see Peeta and Prim, my sister. Please," I begged. He nodded solemnly. He was a capitol Peacekeeper. I could tell by the harshness in his tone. I ran until I found the door Prim was behind. There were Peacekeepers stationed outside. I quickly explained who I was and was allowed to enter the room.

"Prim!" I exclaimed. She ran forward and wrapped her arms around my heaving body. I felt her tears dampen my dress.

"Katniss, I'm scared," she whispered sounding so small and vulnerable. My heart shattered. My sweet caring Prim. How could the capital do this to her? I let go of her and crouched down so I was at her level.

"Prim, you have to fight. Stay with Peeta. I'll make sure he protects you. Stay away from districts one, two, and four. Their usually stronger. You have to try to make alliances. Listen to your mentor…actually we're talking about Haymitch so don't. You have to…" she cut me off by putting her hand over my mouth.

"Katniss, I love you," she said.

"I love you too, Prim. More than anything." I pressed my lips to her hair. I crushed her against me and rocked lightly. We sat there until the Peacekeepers came in and dragged me out. I didn't resist. I walked wearily down the hall to see Peeta. When I opened the door you could see the surprise etched on his face. I ignored it and walked slowly over to him, my shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Katniss," he said. His swollen eyes made a brighter shade of blue by the redness, gave away that he'd been crying.

"You have to try and help her," I begged. "Please Peeta. I'll do anything."

"I'll make sure she wins," he said. It took me a minute to realize what he was saying. My eyes widened and I felt my heart plummet to the ground.

"Peeta! That's not what I'm asking you! You don't have to…to give up. To give her your _life_. You just have to try and protect her. Make sure she's not alone in the arena." I was astounded. I saw confliction in his eyes. He met my eye.

"I'll do all that and more. I promise you Katniss. I'll protect her."

"Thank you, Peeta," I whispered. I took a few steps forward and wrapped my arms around him. His muscles tensed for just a second, then relaxed. His arms returned my embrace. I stayed there until the Peacekeepers ordered me out. I walked away letting the fear and desperation of the day fully set heavily on my burdened shoulders.


	3. The Train

Prim P.O.V

"Hey Prim," said a voice from behind me. I turned around to see Peeta smiling down on me warmly. I smiled back. We were boarding the train that was heading to the capital. His blue eyes were red and swollen, a sure sign he's been crying, but I decided not to comment on it.

"Hi," I replied shyly. I didn't want to get too attached to anyone because I was definitely going to have to watch them die if I wanted to survive. We were following Effie and Haymitch who were bickering.

"How much do you want to bet we're going to be hearing a lot of that?" Peeta asked me. I laughed quietly. Then I caught a whiff of something delicious.

"Oh, wow! Do you smell that?" I asked Peeta. He inhaled deeply. His eyes widened and he looked down on me smiling. The smell got stronger the closer we got. We finally reached what I guess was a dining room. I gasped quietly, my eyes growing wide. There was a large table covered with every type of food imaginable. I heard Peeta laugh at my awed expression, but I was too captivated by the amazing spread in front of me that I didn't bother to defend myself. I felt a large hand on my shoulder. I looked up to find it belonged to Haymitch.

"Dig in, kid," he said gruffly. His words were slightly slurred so I was almost sure he was drunk again. We all sat down around the table. I piled as much as I could onto my plate. I started shoving things into my mouth. I looked up briefly and saw Effie's look of horror.

"What?" I asked with a full mouth.

"Didn't your mother teach you manners?" she asked bewildered. I nodded.

"In District 12 we usual worry about having anything to eat. Table manners aren't something we bother with," Peeta explained to her. By the look on his face I could tell that he didn't like Effie. Peeta had his own pile of food he was digging into. Some attendants brought in some wine. Haymitch rejected the glass, asking for the bottle instead. Effie looked like she was in a great deal of pain. When I had filled myself to the brim with what felt like more food then I'd usually eat in a year Haymitch ordered us to get some rest. We were shown to our rooms and left to shower.

Showering was an interesting experience. I stood staring quizzically at the shower for a good 10 minutes before I finally decided to push a few buttons and see what happened. Water sprayed out of a bunch of nozzles that seemed to cover every square foot of the wall. I touched the water tentatively and found that it was perfectly warm. It felt like summer rain. I stepped in and found a bar of soap. I smelled it and the first thing I thought of was how the meadow smelled on the first day of spring. The round purple bar smelled like the sun and the rain and the flowers. It was perfect. I scrubbed and scrubbed until the bar of soap was gone. I stepped out and wrapped a huge fluffy towel around me. I made my way into my room and went to the dresser. I opened the top drawer and saw that it was full of pajamas. I picked out a light blue night gown and changed into it. It was soft and warmer than I thought it would be. I sat down in a bed bigger, warmer, and softer than all the beds in District 12 combined. I laid down and found myself immediately drifting off to sleep.


	4. The Breakthrough

Prim P.O.V

I was woken up by a sharp knocking on the door. I shot up wondering why Katniss was waking me up on a Saturday morning. Then I came to my senses and remembered that I was a tribute on my way to The Capitol, and ultimately, my death. I sighed sadly, feeling defeated, and fell back onto the pillows. I flipped over and buried my face into them. The knocking persisted. I ignored it. Eventually they gave up. A few minutes later my door was broken down and someone lifted me out of bed and dropped me onto the floor.

"What the…" I said looking up a little winded. I was surprised to see Haymitch.

"When someone wakes you up you get up. Got it?" he asked. His bloodshot eyes stared down on me. I nodded, a little frightened by this strong man. He offered me a hand and helped me to my feet. "Get dressed and meet us in the dining room," he said. He left without waiting for my reply. I found a change of clothes on the dresser and pulled them on. I found I was wearing a light blue dress that went down past my knees. It was simple, but made of the softest material I had ever felt in my life. I was sure a year's wages would not pay for half of this dress. I was wearing white socks and a simple pair of white shoes to match it. I was surprised at my reflection. I looked young, innocent, and surprisingly nonthreatening. I wondered what the motive would be for dressing me this way. I put the question to the back of my mind and made my way to the dining room.

"Morning," Peeta greeted me.

"Morning," I answered. Peeta was wearing a pair of blue pants made out of a thick material I'd never seen before. His shirt was simple and the exact same shade as my dress. We matched perfectly. I smiled. Peeta had already started eating. I followed his example and piled up enough food to feed a family of three for a day.

"We're going to be arriving at The Capitol today," Effie said cheerfully. I ignored her and kept eating. "You'll also be meeting your stylists and going to the training center. It's sure to be a fun day!" I rolled my eyes. A day in The Capitol is sure to be anything but. We ate the rest of our breakfast in silence. When we finished Haymitch, carrying a bottle of liquor, showed us to a room off of the dining room. It was a fairly large room with one large, soft looking sofa against each wall except for one. That wall had a television built into it. Haymitch asked us to sit down.

"It's time to get down to business," he said as Peeta and I sat next to each other on the sofa closest to the door. Haymitch sat on the one across from us. "Do either of you have any special talents?" he asked. Peeta and I shook our heads. Haymitch sighed. "Nothing. Great." I felt Peeta stiffen beside me. "Now would you like to tell me what I'm supposed to do with two more useless tributes," he asked taking a swig from the bottle he brought into the room. Peeta stood up angrily.

"I'd love to if you would like to tell me what we're supposed to do with a useless mentor!" Haymitch smiled.

"There's something I can work with," he said. "You've got a temper," he said mockingly. Peeta's hands clenched into fists. He took a step towards Haymitch.

"Peeta, don't," I whispered. He took a deep breath then sat down.

"Now all you've got to do is channel that anger into something more useful."

"Sorry to break this to you Haymitch but I'm not usually an angry person," Peeta says calmly as if to prove a point.

"Well that's sure a shame. Now what am I supposed to do with you little lady," Haymitch asked me. He walked over and grabbed my arm. "You're weak, you weigh nothing, apparently you don't like fighting," he laughed and started walking towards the door. Peeta stood up, grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back sharply. Haymitch looked surprised. "Well what do we have here? Now would you like to tell me how strong you are?" Haymitch asked.

"Stronger than you," Peeta replied. Haymitch nodded approvingly putting his bottle down.

"When you're in the Training Room don't let anyone know how strong you are. And you Prim…well just look weak and young. Don't go to any station to do with strength. Actually just shadow Peeta. You can just be 'Peeta's little buddy'. Sorry to tell you Prim but I don't think you have much of a chance," Haymitch said. My eyes started watering. Of course I knew he was right but I didn't think he would say so out loud. I bit my lip and kept my eyes trained on my shoes.

"Asshole," I heard Peeta say. Then there was a loud crack and a long string of unintelligible words. I looked up to see Haymitch's broken nose.

"Come on Prim," Peeta said. I followed his out the door. "Ignore him. You're _going_ to win. I'm going to make sure of that." I looked up at him, confused. His blue eyes looked down on me sadly. "Prim, can you keep a secret?" I asked her. I wanted to say no. I didn't want to hear anything even remotely secretive. It's safer to be ignorant in my mind.

"Yes," I answered.

"Follow me," he said. He led me into his room and motioned for me to sit on his bed. He went to his jacket he brought from home and reached into an inside pocket. He pulled out a picture and showed it to me. It was Katniss.

"How did you get that?" I asked.

"I have my ways," he murmured. I didn't push it. "Years ago, on our first day of school when Katniss and I were about 5, my father pointed her out to me. He pointed to her and said 'you see that little girl over there? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner.' I didn't get why she would choose a poor coal miner over a baker like my father so I asked him why she did that. He said 'because when he sings, even the birds stop to listen.' I didn't believe him though. I couldn't understand how anyone could sing so beautifully. A few weeks later our music teacher made each kid come up in front of the class and sing the valley song. When Katniss sang I knew what my father meant. When Katniss sang every bird went silent and listened to her. It was amazing." I was staring at him absorbed in the story he was telling. "Ever since then I've been in love with your sister. But now she'll never know. Before we left she asked me to keep you safe. I told her I'll do everything I can to make sure you win. I'm going to die in the games Prim. You aren't. I refuse to let you die. You, Katniss, and your mother have already lost your father. I won't let them loose you too." I could see how hard he was trying to hold back tears. I inched forward and wrapped my arms around him. We sat there silently until Effie knocked on our door to tell us we had arrived at The Capitol.


	5. The Capitol

Peeta P.O.V

When Effie came in Prim and I quickly split apart. I cleared my throat and stood up. I pushed away my strong feelings and forced a smile onto my face. Effie beckoned for us to follow her. She led us out of the room and down the hall. Prim fell into step beside me. She was staring at her feet. I nudged her lightly and smiled broadly, signaling for her to do the same. She followed my lead and lifted her head a little. We were supposed to look like strong competitors ready for the Hunger Games. Effie stopped short in front of a door leading outside. Prim and I stopped behind her. Haymitch pushed his way drunkenly in front of us.

"You ready to see The Capitol!" Effie asked. I didn't want to The Capitol. To me it was a leech sucking the life out of the outlying districts.

"We sure are!" Prim replied after a lengthy silence. It sounded forced and unnatural. Effie turned and put on a bright smile. The train doors opened and we got our first look at Panem.

Prim P.O.V

My mouth fell open. Everything was shimmering and glittering. The sides of the buildings were made of a material that bounced the sunlight off in rainbows. Everything was colorful and bright. It was clean and pristine; so unlike the dark brown of District 12.

We only got a quick look because some peacekeeper hurried us quickly away and into a building which I assumed was the Training Building. After we had entered Effie led us to a door and pushed a button in the wall. The doors slid open and showed what appeared to be a small room. Haymitch and Effie walked into it so Peeta and I followed. Effie pushed a button labeled "12". Suddenly the floor fell out from under us.

"Whoa!" Peeta said trying to steady himself. I had grabbed onto his arm so I wouldn't fall over. We fell against the wall managing to stay on our feet. Haymitch was laughing at us. We soon realized this was supposed to happen and laughed along with them. The door soon opened and we looked out the closest window and realized we were on the top floor. It seemed to me like we were in a strange new world. Effie opened a door and we followed her into a high ceilinged large room. In front of us was yet another overly lavish table of food.

"You have only a few minutes to eat before you go to meet your stylists. The opening ceremony is tonight so you have to look your best!" Peeta and I quickly finished our lunch and each went into one of the doors Effie pointed us to. I opened the door. I was surprised to find a younger man dressed simply with short brown hair and just a hint of bright gold eyeliner. I was expecting someone flamboyant. Someone older trying desperately to look younger. (_**that's kinda a direct quote from the book**_) I was expecting unnaturally colored hair and too much makeup, not this simply dressed man.

"Hello," he said kindly holding out his hand to me. "My name is Cinna."

"Hi. I'm Prim," I said. I smiled. Then I noticed the three people standing behind him for the first time. They were exactly what I had expected from a Capitol citizen; bright, strangely cut hair, tattoos, excessive makeup, and brightly colored clothing.

"This is Flavius, Octavia, and Venia," Cinna said pointing to each one in turn.

"Nice to meet you," the taller man (Flavius) said. I smiled at him.

"This is your prep team," Cinna said. The three of them came upon me quickly touching my hair, my arms, my nails.

"Oh my! Look at these nails!" Octavia said.

"Can you imagine how long it's going to take all of this _hair_ off of her arm? And I haven't even seen the rest of her yet!" Venia said saying the word "hair" like it was something despicable.

"And her hair! Oh her hair!" Flavius said trying to run his fingers through the knotted mess. I looked up and saw that Cinna was already gone.

"Well undress already! We have so much work to do and no time to waste!" Octavia said. I looked at her stunned.

"Come on now," Venia said. I took off my clothes and stood before them blushing lightly.

"Worse than I thought. Come with me child," Flavius said leading me to a tub. It was filled with a strong smelling substance that was a slight greenish color.

"You want me to get into that?" I asked uncertainly.

"Well I certainly don't want you to drink it!" Flavius said. I got in. The thick liquid clung to me uncomfortably. I scowled. While I was in the tub Flavius and the rest of the prep team worked water and some strange substance into my hair. I'm pretty sure they pulled half of it out. After half an hour they let me out and led me to another tub filled with a less offensive substance. I stepped in and Octavia pulled out my hands and worked on my nails. After the third and final bath (which was filled with water) the prep team led me to a chair and started ripping out every hair from my body. The pain caused my eyes to water. After an hour I was clean and hairless. My nails were perfectly shaped and my hair like a soft curtain over my shoulder. I was given a robe and told to wait for Cinna.

He entered carrying a large black bag. He brought it over and smiled broadly.

"You ready to see what I chose for you to wear?" he asked me. The tributes were forced to wear crazy costumes that stood for whatever their district was known for. District 4 had to dress in something resembling fish or the ocean, District 3 had electronics, and District 12 had coal. Our tributes usually ended up in a miners outfit or naked and covered in coal dust. It was horrible. I wasn't sure I wanted to see what he wanted me to wear (if anything) but I nodded because that was the polite thing to do. He opened the bag and revealed a black skintight jumpsuit with simple black shoes and an intricate black headdress. "Every year before now District 12 was dressed to resemble coal. This year you will be fire," he said.

"How are we going to do that?" I asked him. He gave me a coy smile that made me incredibly nervous.

"We're going to set you on fire," he said calmly. My jaw dropped. And for a second there I thought my stylist wasn't out of his mind. Wrong.

"You're going to what?" I asked for clarification. He laughed at me.

"The suit is…fire proof though that's not exactly the right terminology. It's made of a material that will not burn you but will hold the fire to give the allusion that you've been set on fire. You're going to look amazing," he said proudly. _He's a genius_, I thought. _If it works_ the more logical part of me reasoned.

"And it won't…burn me?" I asked.

"No! Of course not! Now let's get you into this," he said. I took off the robe and he helped me wiggle my way into the jumpsuit. He delicately placed the headdress on my head and led me by the hand to a mirror. I was amazed at how I looked. If the fire thing worked I _would_ look amazing.

"Thank you so much Cinna!" I said giving him a quick hug. He returned it and laughed.

"Follow me," he said and led me to the room that dropped. He laughed when I called it that and informed me it was called an elevator. We rode it down to the bottom floor and he led me to the lobby where 12 chariots were waiting with 2 horses harnessed to each one. He led me to the last one in line. I found Peeta standing next to it dressed identically to me.

"We match," I said. He laughed happily. Haymitch showed up and I was surprised to see that he wasn't drunk.

"When you get out there wave. Interact with the crowd. Be nice, happy, and likeable. That's going to help you win sponsors." We nodded in understanding. "Hold hands too. We're going to present you as a team. Be ready in five minutes." Peeta helped me into the chariot and we stood hand in hand staring forward at the other tributes.

"You nervous?" he asked me.

"Really nervous. This could literally be life or death for us," I said.

"I know," he said quietly as the front doors opened and the first chariot rode out into the streets of The Capitol.


	6. The Opening Ceremony

Peeta P.O.V

The first thing I noticed when the doors opened was the sound. Thousands, _millions_, of people were waiting to get their first impression of us. The next thing I noticed was the light and color. Even in twilight the city was shrouded in brilliance. Cinna and Portia rushed over quickly carrying lighters. I winced inwardly. That's right. They were going to set us on fire. I closed my eyes, not quite trusting them yet. I slowly opened one eye only to discover that I was already covered in flame. I looked to Prim and met her amazed eye.

"It worked!" she squealed. Cinna laughed goodheartedly.

"Of course it worked!" Suddenly the chariot lurched forward. Prim grabbed my arm for support. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Cinna motioning wildly. He clasped his hands together.

"Oh!" Prim said in understanding, quickly grabbing my hand. I suddenly became confused. I didn't oppose the idea of presenting ourselves as a team because that's been my intention, but why would Cinna want that? We were approaching the gates. I looked at Prim's nervous face. I nudged her lightly and motioned for her to smile. She squeezed my hand tighter as we rode through the doorway and onto the streets of the Capitol. The reaction from the crowd was surprising to say the least. It was like everyone in the country took in a collective gasp. Suddenly the clapping started. I looked up at the large screen they have that shows what the viewers from the Districts will be seeing and saw how breathtaking Prim and I looked. We started waving to the crowd. Prim was smiling and blowing kisses to the crowd then catching the ones the citizens blew back to her. Yes, she looked weak, but she seemed to symbolize the bright innocence of a childhood.

Finally the chariot stopped and we were all positioned in a large circle around the president.


	7. The Scores

Prim P.O.V

We were in the Training Center beginning our first day of training. I was sitting on the floor next to the knot tying station, trying my bet make my fingers form an intricate knot, when a tiny black haired tribute came to sit next to me.

"Hello," she said in a light singsong voice.

"Hi," I answered. The girl looked like she couldn't be much older than I was. She had black hair and her skin was the kind of dark you get from spending way too many hours in the sun.

"I'm Rue, District 11," she said, her brown eyes glistening. She was about my height and, like me, she was thin and wiry. Neither of us looked like we stood much of a chance.

"Prim, District 12," I said smiling. Stuck out her hand. Her fingers were thin and her palms were callused. She looked like she had spent her entire life working. I grabbed her hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you," she said.

"You too," I answered politely. We sat there for the next few hours not feeling obligated to say much. We just practiced our knots until our fingers were sore then moved on together to the edible plants station where Rue seemed to have an abundance of knowledge. I realized quickly how easy this must seem to her. She was from District 11, the District known for Agriculture. When Prim and I moved on to the camouflaging station Peeta joined us.

"Hello," Peeta said warily to Rue.

"This is Rue. Rue this is Peeta, my District partner," I said introducing them. Peeta smiled at him and tuned into the instructor. Rue glanced at me curiously and I shrugged.

"I guess he's not as friendly as I thought," I said. Peeta, hearing my comment, turned to me and jokingly stuck out his tongue. I laughed quietly and was quickly hushed by the instructor who was attempting to show us how to properly hide ourselves in a forest. Peeta turned out to excel at this station, easily painting himself to look like the dappled leaves in the forest. His face was a mask of deep concentration as he added colors and swirled them together on his skin to simulate the light that danced through the leaves.

"How'd you learn to do that?" Rue asked him.

"I'm the one who decorates the cakes at my father's bakery," he answered her. For a split second I saw jealousy in Rue's eyes, the same jealousy I'm very familiar with. Being a baker's son guarantee's that you're not going to bed hungry.

"Can you show me how to do that?" Rue asked him. Peeta spent the next hour guiding our hands in large swooping motions. Soon we were covered in various shades of brown and green. I looked at my arm and twisted it around, admiring the work that I, well mostly Peeta, had done.

"I'm pretty good at this!" I said. Peeta snorted and Rue laughed. The gamemakers called us to lunch and Peeta, Rue, and I sat down to a large delicious meal.

"Every time I eat I feel guilty. There are people back at home who are starving to death on the streets and here I am sitting in The Capitol eating enough food to feed a family for a month," Rue said. I nodded my agreement and we finished the meal in silence. The next few days went on like this. Rue and I were getting to know each other. Peeta was there to help me and, consequently, help Rue. After the third and final day of training we were sent to the dining hall and asked to wait for our name to be called. As Haymitch had explained to us earlier, this was the day that we would present ourselves in front of the gamemakers and show them what we could do. This is how they judged the tributes and gave them their scores from 1-12. Being the girl from District 12, I was last. Rue, Peeta, and I sat together, talking about home. I had found out the day before that Rue, like me, was 12. That in itself made me feel connected to her.

The first of us to be called in was Rue. We wished her luck and she walked away into the training room. Only Peeta and I were left. I wrung my hands nervously.

"What are you going to do?" I asked him.

"I'll probably throw some stuff around. Maybe paint myself into a tree. You?"

"I'll probably tie a knot," I said quietly, partly ashamed by my lack of talent. He laughed.

"You'll think of something," he said reassuringly. A few minutes later his name was called. I wished him luck and sat alone in the empty room wondering what I could possible do to impress them. A few minutes later my name was called and I walked into the room. I looked around and saw the gamemakers. They were all enjoying an overly lavish feast that was set out before them. None of them seemed to be paying much attention to the small 12-year-old from District 12. I walked over to the edible plants station and started telling them the medicinal qualities some of them had. I had learned a lot over the years from my mother. From the looks on their face I could tell they weren't impressed. I went over to the snare station and tied a simple snare that Katniss had taught me. Still un-impressed. Eventually I picked up a few knives and started throwing them. I knew that the gamemakers all had a taste for anything violent. The first throw missed. The second throw missed. Same with the third. But by some miracle the fourth one hit almost in the direct center. I tried to hide my complete and utter surprise. I bit my tongue to keep from screaming in happiness. I turned to the gamemakers, gave them a small smile, and left.

Later that evening, after our overly lavish dinner, Peeta, Haymitch, Effie, and I were sitting down before the television to see the training scores. Unsurprisingly, most of the tributes from 1,2, and 4 got nines and tens. Most of the other tributes got scores as low as 3 and up to 6. Rue got a seven and, to his own surprise, Peeta got an eight. I was absolutely delighted when my training score turned out to be a 7. Everyone congratulated us until Haymitch sent us to bed. He told us we needed our rest because tomorrow would be the interviews, and, according to him, we had a lot of work to do.


	8. The Interview

_**Prim's dress is the same one that Katniss had. Cinna's idea was to make her look young and innocent and I thought "Hey! That just **_**screams**_** Prim, so why not use the same dress!!!" So yeah. **_

_**Disclaimer: It all obviously belongs to Suzanne Collins. If it were up to me Katniss and Peeta would already be married and in Bermuda with their families and Gale's drinking margarita's on the beach living it up. **_

The next day I was woken up by Cinna and my prep team. They ushered me into the bathroom and got to work removing the tiny stubble that had grown back over the last four days. The put my hair up in an elaborate braided hairdo, very similar to what Katniss wore on the day of the reaping. Cinna came in silently, greeting me only with a smile, and opened the garment bag he was holding and revealing a beautiful bright yellow dress covered in tiny jewels that glimmered in the dim light.

"Whoa," I said under my breath. Cinna helped me step into it then put a pair of yellow, heelless shoes on my feet. I spun around and watched the dress flicker like candlelight.

"You look beautiful," Cinna said smiling. He led me to the room off of the dining room where Haymitch had interviewed Peeta and I about our talents only a few days before. Haymitch was there with Peeta who was dressed in a black suit with flame accents.

"You're each going to need an angle for the interview," Haymitch told us. "Peeta and I have already agreed he's going to be 'charming' (_**that's probably wrong but I couldn't find what it really was sooo…that's the best I can do. Sorry. If anyone knows what his angle is leave a comment and tell me because I really want to know.**_) Considering you're age and strength I'm going to see what we can do to make you seem as innocent as possible. So you're going to be 'innocent'. Got it?" he asked me. I nodded my reply. "Good." Peeta and Haymitch spent the final hour before the interview coaching me on how to act. I felt a little guilty for taking up time Peeta could have used to get tips, but when I mentioned it he simply placed one hand on my back and the other on my shoulder to correct my posture. I let it go.

Finally Effie came in and announced that it was time. She led us into the elevator doors where we found Cinna and Portia.

"I'm nervous," I whispered to Cinna. My heart was beating in my chest. I felt overcome with stage fright. He smiled at me and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Just remember, they already love you. All you have to do is be yourself." When the elevator doors opened I found that we were on the stage. The tributes were all being seated in a large arc around the stage. I found my seat, second to last, and sat down. Peeta sat next to me. He looked eerily calm. His composure helped me feel more calm and I allowed myself to relax a little. I look around curiously and see that even though it's starting to get dark, City Circle is brighter than day. Caesar Flickerman, the host, is walking on stage taking a seat on a large, plush, chair tilted toward the audience. Next to him is an identical chair that I assume I'm supposed to sit in. I swallow nervously.

Before I know it, the interviews are beginning. The tributes go up in order. I only commit a few of them to memory. The girl from district 2 is sexy, the girl from 7 is elusive, Rue is young and funny, her district partner is intimidating and threatening. Suddenly my name is called and I stand up and walk to that chair like I'm in a dream.

"So Prim, how do you like The Capitol? It's a big change from District 12!" Caesar says.

"It sure is! It's so big and beautiful! When I got off the train I just couldn't stop staring at all the beautiful buildings!" I said. My words came out fast and my voice sounded high pitched. I wasn't sure I was doing good or not. I searched the audience of thousands, millions, for a familiar face. In the back of my mind I realized that Caesar was saying something else. I panicked. Luckily I only missed his response.

"When you came out for the opening ceremonies everyone was absolutely captivated by your beautiful costumes! What did you think of them?" he asked me. I swallowed. My mouth felt so dry.

"At first I was really scared that I was going to catch on fire! The first time Cinna told me what he was doing I thought he was crazy. But Cinna did a great job with my costume. It was beautiful. And look at this!" I said standing up and lifting my skirt up to move it so that it caught the light and shimmered. I looked into the crowd and finally found a familiar face; Cinna. He was motioning with his finger. _Spin_, I thought, so I spun. I heard a collective gasp from the audience. I started laughing, giggling more like it. Caesar was laughing with me. I tripped a little and he caught my arm to stop me from falling. I was smiling broadly, not because I was happy but because I realized that's what the audience would expect from me.

"Don't stop!" he said happily.

"I have to! I'm really really dizzy!" _and ditzy_, I thought at the back of my mind. I was wondering if I was doing well enough to win sponsors.

"Don't worry, I've got you. We don't want you ending up like you're sponsor do we?" The crowd laughed. "Now Prim, we all saw how your sister tried to volunteer for you, something that's not even thought of in the games." I nodded solemnly. My face fell a little.

"My sister's so great. After my Papa died she's filled in his place. It's almost like I have two Mom's now. I really love her," I looked out and saw that some of the Capitol citizens were crying. Sympathy. Great. "

"I'm so sorry to hear about your father," he patted me sympathetically on the shoulder. I shrugged. "What do you think of Peeta?" he asked me trying to gently change the subject.

"Oh! Peeta's great too. He's really nice and he talks to me and helps me and stuff. I'm really lucky to have him as a District partner," I said.

"Should we expect an alliance here?" he asked me.

"Well, I don't think I should say," I said with a look at Peeta he was smiling. When I caught his eye he just shrugged. "Maybe though. We haven't really talked about it much." The buzzer rang.

"Well that's our time! Best of luck, Prim Everdeen, from District 12." I made my way back to my seat next to Peeta being careful not to trip. When I passed Peeta he brushed my hand with his own and gave me a small smile. He looked like everything a tribute should be: strong, young, calm, cool, and collected.

I don't pay much attention to the first part of Peeta's interview. My heart is still pounding in my chest. I try to control my breathing so it doesn't come out in ragged gasps. I know he's doing good because I hear the audience laughing and shouting their approval. I tune back in just at the end of a little thing their doing where their smelling each other. Whatever their doing is sending the audience in to fits of laughter. Suddenly Caesar asks if Peeta has a girlfriend. I try to hide my intake of breath. _What's he going to say?_ I ask myself. I see Peeta's face fall slightly.

"A handsome lad like you has got to have some special girl back home routing you on! Now come on! Tell us Peeta, what's her name?" My heart started beating in my chest erratically. It took everything I had to keep a pleasant smile pasted on my face.

"I can't really say," he says.

"So there is someone?" Caesar asked.

"Yeah, there's a girl back home, but I'm pretty sure she didn't know I existed until the reaping." I fought the sadness that was tearing me apart inside.

"So here's what you gotta do. You win. You come home. She can't say no to you then can she?" he asked good naturedly. I knew and Peeta knew that it couldn't work out. I was dying for his answer.

"It won't work. Not in this situation," Peeta said almost awkwardly.

"And why not?" Caesar asked curiously.

"Because her sister is my District partner," he said. My heart dropped. _Oh, no_ I thought.

"You mean…what do you mean exactly?"

"That…that…'special girl' back home. It's Katniss…the one who tried to volunteer for Prim. Her sister." The audience gasped and I felt my eyes fill up with sympathetic tears.


	9. The Reaction

Katniss P.O.V (and may I say _finally_)

"That…that…'special girl' back home. It's Katniss…the one who tried to volunteer for Prim. Her sister." Peeta's wavering voice sounded weak and staticky through our ancient television. It took a minute for the full meaning of his words to sink in. I felt Gale stiffen beside me. My vision started to blur. My heart was pounding erratically in my chest. My breath started coming in shallow gasps. Gale turned on his knees so he was facing me. He grabbed my face with his large hands.

"Katniss. Katniss, are you okay?" he asked me, his deep voice sounding surprisingly soft. For some reason it cut through me like a knife through butter. It made me feel violated. My hands started shaking. I held then up and stared at them like they weren't a part of me; like they were unattatched. It felt like my entire world was breaking apart. _So that's why he's so dedicated to bringing Prim home,_ the small, sane part of me was saying. The larger part was wondering why I hadn't seen it before.

"Katniss," my mother's quiet voice said. "Katniss, please talk to us," I felt her hand on my shoulder. Gale's hands were still on my cheeks. I started to feel claustrophobic; closed in and uncomfortable. Every part of me was screaming for escape. I felt tears welling beneath my eyes.

_Why do I _care, I asked myself. _They're both going to die anyway. _I felt my heart stop. My stomach rolled and I fought to keep what little was in my stomach. It frightened me beyond all belief. I pushed them away from me and stood up. I ran out the door and kept running. My eyes were blurred with confused tears. My legs were pounding on the empty dirt streets. It was dark but that didn't matter to me. Finally I reached the fence separating District 12 from the surrounding woods. I was just about to reach for it when I heard the tell-tale sign that it was electrified. The slight buzzing stopped me and I fell back. I turned over so I was facing the ground. Heart wrenching sobs started coursing through me. My arms started shaking and eventually collapsed from under me. My body was being wracked by painful spasms. My face was pressed against the hard cool earth. I curled myself up into a protective ball.

_Why? Why would he say that in front of all of Panem? Why didn't he tell me before? Why did I have to find out right when he's about to die?_ I asked myself. But I already knew the answers. He said it for sponsors. There's only two reason's he wouldn't tell me before. It was either a) because it's all an elaborate lie made only to help him further himself in the games (which seemed like the more unlikely option seeing as he's willing to sacrifice his own life to save my sister) or b) because he's a baker's son with everything and I'm a coal miner's daughter with nothing. I didn't want to believe it though. It was easier to think that it's all a lie. Everything he ever said was a lie. It seemed to hurt less. It took the edge off the pain. Thinking that helped me get up and start making my way through the winding roads back home.

A thousand things were running through my mind. The most reuccuring question was why I cared so much. Neither of us would have a chance to act on anything. He was as good as dead. He didn't plan on coming back and even if he did the odds would not be in his favor. I shook my dark thoughts away and focused on counting my footsteps in a useless attempt to forget everything wrong with the world.

On my way home I noticed I was passing the bakery where Peeta's father worked. I stopped outside and stared at the door bleached in the moonlight. I felt my legs moving forward. I lifted my hand and knocked on the hard wood. Peeta's father answered.

"Katniss!" he said surprised.

"I'm sorry," I said. He opened the door and let me in.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he told me. "Nothing at all." His eyes were glazed like he was lost in the past, or maybe he was just lost. Maybe he was just lost like we all are in this dark lonely world. Maybe he was just like me, watching someone he loves slowly approaching the day he's going to die.

His empty eyes were staring into my own. I must have looked disheveled. My eyes were dry and stinging. I'm sure they were bloodshot. My hair was falling out of its braid and my face was puffy. I could feel the salty remnants of tears on my cheeks.

"When he said…that…the first thing I thought was 'why is he ruining my life?' I'm selfish and stupid and…" I was shaking again. The words were broken and sounded hopeless and empty. "I just don't want to watch them die," I whispered dropping my eyes and staring at my worn boots.

I suddenly felt a pair of warm arms wrapped around me. The smell of fresh bread and hard work swirled around me. I returned his embrace. We didn't need to say anything. We just stood there soaking in the comfort we took from each other.


	10. The Aftermath

Prim's P.O.V

The minute after the interviews were over Haymitch and Effie assaulted Peeta with questions. He just stared at the ground with his shoulders hunched over. He looked so defeated. At one point I guess Haymitch finally got sick of Peeta ignoring him because he grasped him by the shoulders and turned Peeta to face him. Peeta stayed frozen in the sad empty world he seemed to be living in. Haymitch shook him fiercely.

"Look at me boy!" he said. Peeta looked up at him. You could see the silent grieving in his eyes. Haymitch let go of him and shook his head lightly. "Go on then," Haymitch said. His voice had a different tone in it. It was somewhere between anger, defeat and sympathy. "I guess you're giving up then." Peeta said nothing. My heart started beating in my chest. I refused to believe Peeta would give up this early in the game.

The rest of the way up to our floor was silent. The second we got there Peeta locked himself in his room. I tried to resist the urge to try in comfort him, but eventually my overly considerate personality won over. I knocked lightly on his door.

"Peeta? It's Prim," I stayed there for a few seconds and when I got no answer I decided to walk away. I heard a door open and turned to see Peeta standing in the doorway. He was wearing the collared shirt he had worn underneath his suit jacket for the interview. The first few buttons were undone making him look even more broken. I turned back and walked toward him. I followed him inside and closed the door behind us.

"What did I do?" he whispered fiercely, a single tear running down his cheek. "What did I do," he whispered his voice breaking. I took a few steps forward and hugged him. "What do you think Katniss is thinking right now? Where do you think she is?" he asked me.

"You don't want to know what I think," I told him. I didn't want to tell him where I was almost sure she was. He put his hands on his shoulders and lightly pushed me back.

"Please tell me," he pleaded.

"She's probably confused right now," I mumbled staring at my feet. I hoped Peeta wouldn't notice I didn't answer his other question.

"Where is she Prim?" he asked fiercely.

"She's probably in our living room back at home. She probably has my mother on one side of her and Gale on the other." I stared at Peeta's feet. He had taken off his shoes and was wearing plain black socks. Suddenly he fell back onto his bed. He was breathing raggedly and staring forward in disbelief.

"Peeta, I'm sorry," I said.

"It's okay, Prim. Can you please leave now?"

"Peeta…" I said, not wanting to leave. But he wasn't listening. He had turned himself so he was lying on his side looking out over the streets of the Capitol.

Peeta's P.O.V

I heard Prim leave. The door closed softly behind her. I didn't want her to see me loose calm. The second I heard another door close and the shower turn on I allowed myself to curl up and start crying.

Why did I have to open my mouth? She probably hates me now. She probably _wants_ me to die. She's probably laughing at me with Gale.

Gale. Why was I chosen and he wasn't. The second I thought I regretted it. Gale has a family to take care of. I don't. Without Gale his family would starve. Mine would be sad but they'd get over it and they'd move on.

My family. What did they think of my little confession? I didn't even want to think about them. My mother is probably burning all of my pictures at this very moment. She's strongly opinioned on who she wants me to marry, and it's definitely not a poor, lawbreaker from the Seam.

These thoughts were just depressing of me. There was no point in thinking of home. I was never going to see any of these people again. It was better to forget them and focus all my attention on getting Prim as far as I could in the games. She needed to come home. Such a sweet, caring girl could_ no t_ die. Katniss would be absolutely destroyed if she didn't come home. I couldn't risk that.

To add insult to injury the Games started tomorrow. Like I was going to be able to get to sleep before.

Prim's P.O.V

I didn't expect Peeta to come to breakfast the next morning. To my surprise he was there before I was. To add to that initial shock he looked up at me smiling and said good morning.

"Good morning!" I said trying to hide the surprise in my voice. I sat next to him and took some eggs and bacon from a large platter in the middle of the table. Peeta turned and continued talking to Haymitch. Haymitch looked more at ease with this sudden transformation than I did.

"So, any final words of advice for the games?" Peeta asked Haymitch.

"When the gong rings, get the hell out of there. I don't care what the situation is you are to run in the opposite direction, get away from the others, and find a source of water."

"Anything else?" I asked.

"Stay alive," he said simply. Then he went back to his breakfast. A few minutes later, Cinna and Portia came to collect us to get us ready for the games. Peeta and I say goodbye to each other. Cinna leads me to my room and hands me a simple shift. I quickly pull it on. He then leads me outside where a hovercraft is waiting. Cinna instructs me to place my hands and feet on the lower rungs. I feel myself being frozen in place. Some foreign current holds me in place. When we get to the top a woman injects me with something. I panic a little.

"It's okay," Cinna said. "It's just a tracker." Suddenly it all felt more real to me. I shot Cinna a frightened look. "It's going to be okay," he said as the current released me from the bars. We sat in the closest chairs to us. I stared at my feet during the ride. After around twenty minutes we landed we were under the arena. Cinna helped me off and led me to the room where I would wait until the official start of the games. He reached out and held onto one of my hands. I squeezed it lightly. I looked up at him, my lower lip starting to quiver and my eyes starting to water.

"I'm really scared," I whispered. Cinna met my eyes with his own. I could see he was trying to be strong. The door of a large glass cylinder situated in the middle of the room slid open.

"It's time to go," Cinna said.

"I really don't want to," I said. He hugged me briefly and then I had to leave. The door of the glass cylinder closed and started to lift up. I looked down and caught what I was sure to be the last look of my stylist and friend Cinna.


	11. The Game's Begin

Prim's P.O.V

As the metal plate lifted I got my first look at the arena. The first thing I noticed was the Cornucopia in the center. It was filled with anything and everything a tribute would ever want. My eyes scanned over food, weapons, and supplies that could prove to be pivotal for survival. My eyes fell on a bow inside the Cornucopia. My mind immediately flashed to Katniss. She would try desperately to grab that. That bow would mean her guaranteed survival. I quickly surveyed the rest of the arena. There was a large lake close to us. That would be a prime spot where a lot of the stronger players would be. Around the lake was a forest and on the opposite side of the arena was a large field of what looked like wheat.

I decided immediately I would head as far into the forest as I could. Peeta was standing on my right. I looked at him quickly, nodding in the direction of the forest. Before he could respond the gong rang and the red headed girl immediately sprinted to the Cornucopia. I didn't stay around to see what happened to her. In that same second Peeta and I sprinted toward the forest.

I heard someone behind us and turned to see who it was. If I got killed this early in the games…I didn't allow myself to finish that sentence. I was relieved to see it was Rue. We slowed down just slightly so she could catch up. When she was beside us we started sprinting as fast as our legs could carry us. The three of us ran through the forest like our life depended on it, which it did.

"Don't stop until…you see water," Peeta huffed. The three of us weren't that winded. We were accustomed to running and physical work, the other two more than me, but still. We ran blindly through the forest, scanning the undergrowth for water. Finally, when my lungs felt like they were going to burst open, we found a stream. On the other side of the river was a large pile of boulders. The banks of the stream were all rocky. The river was in the sun. This was a great place to set up a camp for the night. Once we had caught our breath and filled ourselves with the cool water from the river we talked strategy.

"I think we should stay in the trees tonight. We can take turns on watch," Rue offered.

"Or we could stay in the boulders. We could probably find somewhere where we can be kept concealed," Peeta said.

"I think it would be safer in the trees. We would be able to hear and see any enemies coming," said Rue.

"But it would be easier for them to see us and there's always the problem of falling _out_ of the tree," Peeta said.

"Well _I_ think we should stay in the trees," I said. Peeta looked at me.

"Fine," he said. We traveled together looking for a tree we could use for the night. Rue and I quickly realized that "Peeta" and "walks quietly through the woods" are not two things that fit together nicely.

"Peeta, is it possible for you to walk quieter?" Rue whispered. We didn't know if there were any threats around.

"Sorry," he muttered. Immediately we could tell he was making an effort to be quieter, but it wasn't working. After five more minutes of racket Rue stopped.

"Peeta, see that bird up there?" Rue asked. Peeta and I looked up and saw a mocking jay sitting in the tree.

"Yeah," he answered.

"You know what it is?" Rue asked him.

"A mocking jay of course," he answered. Rue whistled a simple four note tune.

"Peeta, stay here," she said. Peeta made a move to refuse but Rue quickly stopped him because the mocking jay had started singing out the tune Rue just whistled. "When you hear that, it means we're alright. Okay?" she asked. He nodded sheepishly.

"I'll stay, but it doesn't mean I want to. If there's any trouble…" he let his words trail off. Rue and I exchanged a look.

"If we find somewhere you'll hear this." Rue whistled another four note tune that was distinctly different. "We'll come back and show you what we found." We wordlessly split up. I was feeling unsure about separating ourselves (power in numbers, right?), but I decided not to voice my opinion.

For the next twenty minutes Rue and I moved silently through the woods, breaking the silence only to whistle that tune. Finally we found the perfect tree. It was tall and leafy enough so that we would be hidden. There were forks in the tree where the three of us would be able to sleep. Rue quickly climbed the tree. I was amazed at the speed she moved at.

"Perfect," Rue said. She whistled the other four note tune a few times and we marked the tree with a small pile of rocks that would be totally unnoticeable unless you were looking for them. We left a few more similar piles on our way back to the meeting place so we could find our way back. When we arrived there Peeta was nowhere to be seen. I bit my tongue, not wanting to voice my concerns. My heart picked up pace and my mind started going through everything that could have happened to him. A few minutes later he showed up carrying some berries in his shirt.

"I found a huge bush of these so I decided to bring some back. I'm not sure if they're edible, though."

"They're edible," Rue said. "They grow around our orchards back home. I'll sneak a few sometimes for a special treat for my family." Rue picked one up and popped it in her mouth. I grabbed one too and ate it hesitantly. I bit into it and the sweet flavor exploded in my mouth. Katniss had brought some of these back from the woods once for my birthday a few years back. I think she told me that this is what she ate in the woods with Gale for lunch most afternoons. I grabbed a handful and Rue and I led Peeta back to the tree we found, destroying the piles of pebbles whenever we came across them. When Peeta saw the tree he nodded approvingly.

"Perfect," he said. Rue, Peeta, and I sat in the tree for the rest of the night, eating the few berries we had left and switching off between the blissful ignorance of sleep and the cold hard truth of being on watch.


	12. The Attack

Peeta's P.O.V

The next morning I woke up in the arena…

Lying on a branch above me was Prim. She was breathing silently, her chest rising and falling gently. Rue was on a branch to my right. Rue was high above her. She stood at the edge of a branch balancing on her toes and looking out over the forest. She looked down at me and whistled the tune she had taught me the day before. She made her way down to Prim and me. Rue shook Prim awake gently. Prim opened her eyes slowly and sat up. We followed Rue silently to the ground.

It was still dark outside. The sun was just rising over the horizon. That was the same sun that eleven fellow tributes would never see again. I pushed those dark thoughts to the back of my mind. We made our way silently to the river. I reached my lips into the freezing water and drank deeply. The cold water brought back the sharp memories of yesterdays freezing night. I shivered just at the thought of it. I brought my face out of water and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

"What next?" Prim whispered. We stood silently. None of us knew what we were supposed to do.

"I suppose we just stay here," I said. Having no better suggestion we decided to do just that.

"I'm going to find something to eat," Rue said.

"I'll help," said Prim. By some silent agreement we decided that I wasn't going to go with them. After they left I crossed the river to the boulders to see if I could find a nice place to stay tonight.

Prim P.O.V

Rue and I made our way silently through the woods. Every time I looked at her I was sharply reminded that one of us would have to die.

"Oooo! Prim look at this!" Rue motioned enthusiastically to me. I saw another bush of the berries she showed me yesterday. I grabbed one and rolled it between my fingers. I squished it a little and smelled the juice that came out. I ignored my rumbling stomach and helped Rue collect a lot. We filled our pockets with the delicious fruit.

"Do you want to go back now?" I asked Rue. She nodded. We crept through the silent woods back to the river.

Peeta's P.O.V

I had found a small cave like crevice between two boulders. I marked with a small pile of stones and crossed the river waiting for Rue and Prim. Below the knee, my pants were soaked through with the icy water from the river. I leaned against a boulder sitting alone on the side of the river I was on. I stared out into the woods watching for my two teammates.

Cato P.O.V

I had been watching the two District 12 idiots and that tiny 11 girl for over an hour now. The two small ones had gone into the woods to collect berries. I made a mental note of the ones they ate so that I could find them later. The sun felt hot on my neck and I was about ready to forget Cloves plan and just jump out and slaughter them. How hard could it be, right?

But Clove said to wait. It'll get us sponsors. So that's what I'm going to do.

Rue P.O.V

"Do you hear that?" I asked frantically turning to the sound of a breaking branch. Suddenly there was another behind me. My breath started coming in shallow breaths. "Run," I whispered into Prim's ear, not wanting to alarm our followers. We sprinted to the river. I was right. We were being followed. I threw a quick look over my shoulder and saw the male District 4 tribute running behind us. He was quickly gaining ground. I made my legs move faster.

Suddenly something connected in my brain. Two cracks. Two different places. Either this guy was incredibly fast or there was someone else. That's when I saw her just a few feet ahead of us crouching in the bushes. She was posed to pounce on us.

"NO!" I screamed, not caring who heard us. I could _see _shore. I could _see_ Peeta running to our rescue. It didn't matter though. It was too late. She was as good as gone and there was nothing I could do.


	13. The Dead and the Gone

**Sorry. I downloaded the wrong chapter. Here's the new one that isn't all screwy.**

Peeta P.O.V

I heard it before I saw it. The rustling in the bushes, to loud to be Rue or Prim's quiet tread. Then I saw them, running away from giant, all to ready to kill them. I ran forward not trying to be careful anymore. I promised Katniss that I'd keep Prim safe and I was going to keep that promise. Then I heard Rue's scream. It was loud and racked with pain. Fear shot through me. Had she been hurt? Then I saw it too.

A strong girl launched herself out of the bushes and threw herself at Prim. I watched as the girl launched the knife right through her back.

"NO!" I screamed, echoing Rue's cry. In one swift and easy movement I grabbed the knife I kept in my belt and threw myself at the girl. I knocked her over and sliced at her throat. Her gurgling scream let out a torrent of blood. I stabbed her once more in the chest, wanting revenge for the horrible things she did to young innocent Prim. I sliced the knife down feeling her life's blood run over me.

Suddenly I felt sick to my stomach. I jumped up feeling my head spin groggily. That's when I saw the other one. The giant. He was holding Rue's bleeding body. Then I lost it. I flew at him, knife poised in the air, but he was ready for me.

He caught my arm with his own, digging his thick, sharp nails into my skin. I jerked my knee up into his gut. He seemed to be made entirely of muscle. He laughed at me.

"Are you ready to die?" he asked me in a cold, menacing voice. The adrenaline bursting through me made it difficult to think, so I followed my instincts.

I sunk to the ground in surrender. He dropped my hand. Out of the corner of my eye I could see his knife coming down on me. At the last second I jumped up, pushing him back with my shoulder and sticking my knife into his gut. I pinned his arms down on the ground.

"Do your worst," I hissed in his ear. I snatched the knife from his hand and brought it down on his throat. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"Bastard," he gurgled. I could barely make out the rest of his words. He gripped my arm in his overly large hands and stared me in the eye. His dark eyes bore into my own. He tried to clear his throat but a torrent of blood came out. He somehow managed to speak to me in a clearer voice, "You're going to die," he rasped. "Just like the other two." Then he died under me. I heard the two cannon shots. They were impossibly loud in the empty silence.

Then the realization struck me. I had just murdered two people.

I stood up slowly and emptied my almost empty stomach into the bushes. I pulled myself up and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. My throat was raw and swollen and I was covered in drying blood. I shook my head in a useless attempt to clear it from the dark thoughts that were taking up the majority of my thoughts. I turned around and saw Rue lying near me. I took a deep breath and lifted her gently. I carried her in my arms over to where Prim lie. I placed her gently on the ground and quickly checked her pulse. It was faint, but it was there. I moved over to Prim and put my hand on her wrist. Nothing. My heart sped up in disbelief.

"No," I whispered brokenly. I checked again and again. I didn't believe it even when I heard the third cannon echoing around the open arena. I kept checking her pulse over and over while the two other bodies were taken away. Then I heard the hovercraft above us. I looked up and saw the cold, cruel claw reaching down to pick her up.

"No, no, no. This can't be happening." I shook her lightly. Nothing. I was filled with horror. I stood up and backed away from her, tears making tracks down my dirt covered cheeks. I kneeled down beside her one more time and closed her eyes with my fingers. I pressed the middle three fingers of my right hand to my lips and extended them out to her. "Goodbye, Prim Everdeen," I whispered to her. I stood up and turned away as the claws lifted her body of the blood soaked ground and carried her away. Just as the sounds of the hover craft were fading I looked up to the sky and said, "I'm sorry, Katniss."


	14. The Sister

**Okie dokes here's who's still alive (which is all basically the same except for Cato and Clove it's the same because Prim hadn't really impacted the game at all) and who's dead. **

**Dead: Cato and Clove, the girl from district 3, boy from 4, boy from 5, both from 6 and 7, boy from 8, both from 9, both from 10, and Prim =(.**

**Alive: Peeta, Rue, Thresh, girl from 8, Foxface, girl from 4, boy from 3, Glimmer, and the boy from district 1.**

**Now I'm going to do a special (as in from now on) segment I like to call…..responding to reviews!! **

**Faerie0975- Tragic don't you think. I battled with myself forever with the choice of whether or not to kill her off. Sorry for all you Prim lovers. I love (loved) her to but I just didn't think it was very realistic.**

**Kitty Bridgeta being Lazy- Thank you! I really appreciate your review.**

**Sunshine Through the Storm- I had such a hard time writing her little scene with Peeta. I could have saved her and I still was affected. I really hope that whole thing was in character.**

**Foxforever23- Thanks! I took your advice (as you can see at the top of the page). I tried to keep it pretty consistent with the book. I killed the tribute from 9, Cato, Clove, and Prim but that's all. Thanks for your suggestions. I take them all into consideration and try to make my stories a "reader friendly" zone.**

**Steprightup- Thanks so much for the review. I smile every time I read it. That's the exact reaction I wanted from the reader. I think too many people preserve the character's lives (understandably which is why Rue and Peeta aren't dead yet though Peeta definitely should be because we all know he can't fight for beans). I took your suggestion to do Katniss's point of view to heart and that is how this chapter was born. Thanks again!**

**Pita-BreaD-RoCkS- No, it's not over =D. I'm so so sorry for letting poor Prim die. It broke my heart to do it. **

**Thank you all for your wonderful comments! Review and I'll send you a shout out. If you think this is to long just tell me and I won't do it anymore.**

**I'd also like to apologize before hand for my description of Clove. I know it's different but I looked in the book and online for a description of her and I found zilch, so this is just what I think she could look like.**

Katniss's P.O.V

Her face will forever be engraved in my memory. Her lean, strong, never starved body crouching, hidden behind bushes. Her slightly matted dark brown hair looking wild around her round face. Her dark brown eyes set deep in her face. Her lips curled into a wicked snarl. And that knife poised in her hand, dying to kill.

When that knife plunged into my little Prim I lost my ability to react and breath and most importantly I think I lost my will to live.

Gale pulled me slowly onto his lap and tried to hide me in his arms. I resisted against them and pushed them away. I was determined to see whether or not my fighter lived.

I watched vigilantly as Peeta quickly reacted to the situation, pulling a knife from his belt and throwing himself at the girl. He slashed her brutally to pieces. He jumped up suddenly and clutched at his blood covered stomach. For a moment I thought he had been stabbed to, but the notion quickly disappeared as I realized that he was now launching himself at the boy who was now holding his ally.

The boy caught his arm and held it. I heard the boy whisper something softly. I could barely make it out but it sounded like, "Are you ready to die." When Peeta sunk to the ground all hope for a District 12 victor was gone. But Peeta was clever. He rebounded and buried his knife in the boys gut. At this point I was sitting in front of the TV, begging to everything I never believed in for them both to come out of this alive. The boy's death was a blur to me. My mind registered the sound of cannon fire, but I didn't think to count the shots. The sounds just echoed around the small room, sounding like just what they are. A finality.

Peeta stood up and emptied his stomach into the bushes. My heart hurt for him. I had killed more times than I could count, but never had I taken a human life. Never had I been responsible for murder.

A small part of my mind, the part not gripped with hopeful desperation registered the sound of sobbing coming from my mother and Gale's arms wrapping carefully around me. Again he tried to pull me away, but for me it wasn't over yet.

Through all of this I couldn't help but thinking, when is Peeta going to help my sister?

Peeta lifted his ally and carried her over to Prim. He checked her pulse quickly and you could see the relieved slump of his shoulders. She was alive. But Prim?

He put his large hand to her tiny wrist and held it there. Then I could see his face. The look of pure disbelief. I saw his hand shaking uncertainly as he checked again. But I knew it was useless. She was dead.

But Peeta was stubborn; apparently more stubborn than I am. I heard him murmuring 'no' under his breath what felt like a million times. I just wanted to shout "YES" to him. I wanted him to realize that she wasn't coming back, because her death was already killing me. His pain at her death made everything unbearable. I felt like I wanted to throw up.

The hovercraft finally came, but Peeta didn't let her go without dignity. He closed her eyelids and gave her the ancient sign of respect for the dead. He pressed the three middle fingers of his right hand to his lips and extended them out to her.

"Goodbye, Prim Everdeen," he said, mustering as much respect and dignity as he could into those small three words. Then he stepped away from the shell of my sister and turned around as the hovercraft lifted her body from the cold earth. Before he turned around he lifted his face to the sky and said, "I'm sorry Katniss." His words sent me running out the door. I ran to the side of the house and leaned heavily against the stone walls as I emptied my stomach just as Peeta had done just minutes ago in an arena so far away.


	15. The Promise

**Faerie0975: Thanks! I don't think I can forgive **_**myself**_** for killing Prim so I can't really blame you =D**

**Sunshine Through The Storm: Thanks for your great review! I won't say I'm happy I made you almost cry, but considering the chapter I'd say it's the desired reaction. **

**Pita-BreaD-RoCkS: That's a relief. I'm always really worried that my characters aren't in…well…character. Here's the chapter you've been looking for and I'm sorry that I can't tell you if the Peetanator and Katniss get together because that's classified information. Thanks for the review…virtual cookies and all that (::)**

**Kitty Bridgeta: Prim, Prim, Prim…what are we going to do without her =( I feel so bad killing her off. It won't stop riding on my conscience. Your very welcome for the character recap. Thank you thank you thank you for your review!!**

**Steprightup: Thanks!!! I re-read your comment and laughed again XD I really hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.**

**Thanks to all of my almost 49 reviewers. You guys continue to inspire me =D**

**I just want to say that the cave coming up is Peeta and Katniss's cave.**

Peeta's P.O.V

Somewhere under the pain and confusion, there was a small piece of me that urged me to use my common sense. Right now it was screaming at me to clear my head and keep Rue alive. I inhaled the air, still thick with too much bloodshed. I kneeled down next to Rue. Her heart was still beating faintly. I picked her up in my arms, trying to ignore the loud groan she let out. Her warm blood was all over me. I walked as quietly and carefully as I could, but it didn't stop the painful sounds she was making.

Blood was pouring into my eyes from my own wounds and my arm was screaming in pain. I clenched my teeth and moved on. Eventually I found a cave. It was open to the world in the front, but near the back there was enough space for Rue and I. In the back of my jumbled mind came the thought that if this was built up a little, it wouldn't be a bad shelter. I shook off the more practical thoughts and focused on the here and now.

Rue was bleeding from her throat. When I put her down she almost screamed in pain. She was panting heavily and was covered in a sheen of sweat. She twitched a little. I put my massive hands around her face and whispered in her ear.

"Rue. Rue wake up. Come on Rue. Please don't die on me." She must have heard the desperate anguish in my voice because her tiny chocolate brown eyes opened and stared into mine. Their murky depths were filled with the pain she must be going through. I dropped my hands from her face and broke the eye contact we had. A little girl wasn't supposed to know that much pain.

"Where's Prim," she asked me in a weak whisper. I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth. The truth was for the strong and the healthy, not the weak and dying. I mentally slapped myself. Rue was _not_ going to die.

"She's sleeping. She has a few scratches but she's okay." My voice broke a little near the end. I tried to cover it but she had noticed. The pain in her eyes grew deeper and more intense.

"She's dead isn't she," Rue said in a firmer voice. I nodded slowly. Rue found my hand and clutched it tightly. Her eyes watered.

"It's just you and me now, isn't it. Thank god, cuz I'm pretty sure I couldn't do this alone," I said softly, adding a small smile. But I'm sure it didn't reach my eyes. Her eyes widened. "What is it?" I asked.

"Peeta, lift up my shirt." I was astonished. My own eyes widened to match hers.

"Uhh, I'm not sure if that's appropriate…" the stern, pained look she gave me, a look that reminded me of my mother, stopped me and I followed her instructions. What I saw made my head spin.

There was an enormous cut running from just under her ribs on her left side to her hip on her right side. Blood was still pulsing out of it. The most sickening part was that you could see _inside_ her. Against my will, I saw deep gashes in a few of her major organs. My stomach rolled uselessly. There was nothing left in my stomach, but I was surprisingly not hungry.

"I can fix this," I said, weakly. I knew I couldn't fix this. I knew not even the Capitols technology could fix so horrible a wound. She was dying in front of me and there was nothing I could do about it. But she still chuckled softly, painfully, at my remark.

"Peeta," she whispered. "Save your breath. I'm going to die." She said it with such conviction that it took my breath away.

"Don't say that," the voice of another man said. I knew it was my own voice but never had my voice held such a pathetic begging, hopeless, helpless tone to it.

"Peeta, look at me. You have to do something for me." I nodded.

"Anything," I whispered.

"That girl, Prim's sister, the one you love, you have to go home to her. You have to see her. You have to be with her. Fight for her, Peeta. Fight for her, fight for Prim, and fight for me. If you die in this arena…" her voice broke off in a mangled sound of pain. "If you die in this arena then my death will have been in vain. You _have _to win the games, Peeta. Do you understand me?" Her voice shook with her desperation. Her already labored breath became slower. I was watching the life leak out of her. All I could do was nod. I knew I had to tell her something, do _something_ to ease the pain of her departure. From somewhere deep inside of me I pulled out a hidden strength that I didn't know I had. It enveloped me and when I spoke my words rang out with clear conviction. They spoke on their own. They said that I understood and that I wished her well and most of all, I will survive.

"When you get to heaven," I said in that clear voice, "tell Prim that if she wasn't dead I'd kill her for leaving me in the arena alone." I heard her laugh lightly. The ounce of joy on her face was enough to keep me talking. "And I have no doubt in my mind that you will go to heaven. Both of you. Tell her, I'm fighting for her, for both of you actually. Tell her you were my inspiration. Because you were. I didn't think I could survive alone in these games. You saved my life. I still don't know if I can do it, but somehow I think I'll manage. You've given something to fight for. I never would have guessed that two 12-year-old girls would save my life. You're both just so much stronger than me. You're amazing. The bravery, the strength…" I trailed off leaving my words hanging in the air. She had long since stopped listening. When I stared into her eyes all I saw was their lifeless depths. Rue was dead.


	16. The River

**Faerie0975: That was a legit threat!!! Oh my goodness….well not really…=D I feel really guilty now, killing off all of these characters. I thought it would be more unpredictable if I did a heart to heart with Rue and Peeta than with Prim and Peeta. I'll try really hard not to kill anyone else off yet…but no promises. When I start typing…**

**Kitty Bridgeta: Thank you! Keeping the characters in character is something I try to do. I go through all my writing over and over…I'm somewhat of a perfectionist…but oh well….**

**Holly: I was so worried I was overdoing with the Peeta/Rue thing…thanks for the review =D**

**Steprightup: Thankyou thankyou thankyou!!! You're so incredibly kind =D you deserve double virtual cookies (::) (::) I love responding to your reviews so keep reviewing!!**

**Pita-BreaD-RoCkS: Can't tell anyone who dies. If I do, they'll kill me. **

**Here's a new and improved list of the survivors: **

**Peeta, Thresh, Foxface, boys from 3 and 1, and the girl from 8.**

**Somewhere in the Rue/Prim drama Glimmer, the girl from 4 died.**

**Six left, who will be eliminated next on…**_**Survivor!!!**_

_**Oooohhh ahhh….**_

**This Chapter's been changed so that it makes more sense...**

* * *

I left before I could watch them take her body away. The pain of losing what felt like my two closest friends in one day was a pain that I could not bear. I climbed up in a tree that hung almost over the river. Up there my salt tears could mix with the water and the roaring would drone out all the sounds of my suffering.

I sat up there until I finally fell into a restless sleep.

My dreams were haunted with nightmares. Prim died in my arms over and over again and I failed Rue more times than I dared to count. Sometime during my restless night I rolled over and fell right into the river.

The icy shock frightened me. The first thing I thought was whether or not I'd frozen to death. Finally I realized I was under water. I kicked my way to the surface and took in a deep breath of air. It was night time. I couldn't see a thing. Suddenly, the relentless cold shot into me and I started to lose my motor functions. I was suddenly tired. My eyes started to close. Suddenly I heard Rue's voice in my head. _You __have __to win the games, Peeta. Do you understand me. _My eyes shot open. Rue? But no. It was just my head. The despair kicked in again and my will to live washed right down the river.

Then I envisioned Katniss. I envisioned her just as she was the last moment I saw her. I saw her defeated stance, her empty eyes, her face too old for her body. I saw her in the pale blue dress with tears threatening to roll down her face. I remembered the surprise as she wrapped her thin, muscular arms around me. I remember the way she smelled, like pine and fear and a hard life. I remember her warm body trembling in my arms. That moment I implanted in my memory, and this memory triggered many other memories. Katniss as a young girl hand in hand with her father. Katniss on our first day of school, looking gorgeous in a lilac dress waiting for her father to pick her up. Katniss passing the bakery with Gale, her smile lighting up her features. If she would smile for me, _at _me, just once, then I would die a happy man.

The thought of her smile pulled me from the brink of death. I worked my arms and legs, paddling to the side of the river. I pulled my trembling body onto the bank and lay there until the sun rose over the horizon and dried my sodden skin. I started to warm up and gain back a little strength. I rolled over and slowly, very slowly, sat up.

The pain that followed was immediate. My ankle was battered. I tried to lift my left arm and failed. The pain was more than I would wish upon my worst enemy. I took a deep breath and carefully pushed my way over to a tree. I leaned against it and surveyed my surroundings. Where was I? How far down river had I drifted?

I moved my frozen toes. Except for my ankle and arm I was in pretty good condition. In the back of my mind I remember my father telling me that if I ever got wet and cold that I should take off my clothes to stay warm. I specifically remembered what he said because at the time it seemed ridiculous. But not anymore. Slowly I shrugged off my jacket. With my right arm I pulled off my shirt. I gritted my teeth against the pain in my arm. _Suck it _up I told myself. _Be a man. _

The second I pulled off my shirt I felt myself get warmer. Even in the dead of a freezing night I'd rather be shirtless than wet. The warmth rushed through me and I had to resist sighing in contentment. I pulled off my pants too leaving me sitting in just my boxers.

What a sight I must be! Heartbroken, injured, freezing, and sitting in the middle of the forest (on camera!) in nothing but my boxers. I chuckled to myself at the thought. If only Prim and Rue could see me now. I decided to use my jacket as a sling. I threw it over my neck and fashioned it so that it somewhat resembled one. I didn't really care what I looked like. It did the job and that's all that mattered.

Once again ignoring the pain in my arm, I made a splint with a couple sticks and my pants. I put one stick on either side of my leg and wrapped my pants around it tight enough so that it would stay in place. I was beyond happy I took those knot tying classes in the training center. It made it so much easier to tie my bandage in place with one hand.

I tied the bottom end of my shirt and stuck my right arm through the sleeves so that it hung over my shoulder. Not very comfortable, but practical

I gently lifted myself up. I put my weight lightly on my injured foot. It was painful, but not unbearably so. I started to follow the river. All my instincts told me to stay away from it. _River equals pain_ the seemed to be telling me. But I seemed to have a habit of ignoring my instincts. So I followed the river. Along the way I spotted a large bush filled with red berries. I picked the bush clean and put them in the pouch. I left them there, not hungry because I was so filled with water. I followed the river until, hours later, I found the cave where Rue had died. It still smelled like death. I moved on.

Eventually I decided to give up for the day. My body was aching but I knew I should find something to eat. I dropped the bag and went into the woods in search of something besides berries. I searched and searched and found nothing. After an hour of making a racket in the woods I made my way back to my "camp". I heard a cannon fire. It didn't affect me. Everyone I cared about was already dead.

When I got back to "camp" (because what else can you call a place where you dropped your bag) I saw the back of a red head. Shock registered on my face. Why was she sleeping here? I came up behind her and pounced. She rolled over again, and once more lifeless eyes were staring at me.

This girl had red foam all around her mouth. Her eyes were open, glazed in horror. One hand was frozen in a fist around the collar of her shirt. She had suffocated. A few feet from her lay my bag. I opened it and suddenly I connected the pieces.

The girl ate the berries, and died. She had, consequently, saved my life. I climbed into a tree and sat there staring at the sky. Somewhere, Katniss was staring at the same stars. That thought relaxed me and let me fall into a restful sleep.


	17. The Slaughter

**Disclaimer: Hunger Games was written by Suzanne Collins, not me so I'd enjoy it if I don't get sued…**

**Moonlight Mockingjay: Thanks…I think. It felt really unrealistic that tiny, never-hurt-a-fly Prim would survive the Hunger games. Thanks for the review though.**

**Faerie0975: I realized what you meant when I re-read that chapter. It's been changed so it makes more sense. Thanks for that though. That was definitely not on purpose. I never really like Foxface…she was better than others but she had to die…**

**Kitty Bridgeta: Think…would Peeta really survive the Hunger Games alone? Perfectionism is a gift =D But I'm super bad when it comes to my writing.**

**Sunshine Through The Storm: I like that word…whilst. So great…anywho thanks for the review, I'm trying to resist killing off Peeta and staying with the story (hence Foxface's death). **

**Pita-BreaD-RoCkS: Thanks, I try =D. I'm updating as soon as I can but you know…life gets in the way and all that.**

**xXASupernaturalHungerForVicXx: Thank you so much for that review!!! Virtual cookies go out to you (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)**

**Peeta's the best…Gale's great but Peeta is so much better. A million thanks…=D**

**Now on with the chapter**

Peeta P.O.V

The next morning I woke up to the sound of cracking branches. I flipped over on the tree branch so I was facing the ground. Under me I saw the girl from 8 and the boy from 3. What were they doing together? Districts 3 and 8 have never been known to team up before. I didn't know what to do. This would be an ideal time to take out more opponents, but I had no weapon.

To throw away this opportunity would be stupid. They were right there. Two versus one. The odds weren't in my favor but I could do this. I could beat them.

I wasn't positive though. I can't die for a stupid mistake. I had to get back to Katniss. During my internal struggle I saw another boy (the boy from 11?) launch himself out of the bushes.

He slashed a knife across the girl from 8's throat. She screamed and collapsed onto the ground. The boy from 3 pulled out a knife and flung himself at the boy from 11 (I think). The boy from 11 moved out of the way just in time. The boy from 3 overshot, but spun quickly before he could run into anything.

"What are you doing, Thresh?" I heard the boy from 3 say. Thresh? They knew each other?

"You killed my district partner. I told you not to kill her," Thresh hissed. They were circling each other now. I heard the cannon fire. The girl from 8 was dead. They were now distracted. If I moved fast enough…I took a deep breath and made my way over to a branch hanging above the fight. I perched on it and waited until the boy from 3 was under me.

"I didn't kill…" he started to say, but I had already jumped. I landed right on top of him, knocking the breath out of him. My already injured ankle throbbed and my wrist was in agony. I was glad I wouldn't have to use it.

I snatched the knife from his hand and leaped up. Thresh stared at me, his eyes filled with fury and something else that I couldn't quite make up. He quickly turned from me to the boy from 3 and jumped. The boy, now weaponless, ran. I watched as Thresh tackled him to the ground and buried the knife into his back over and over again. I swallowed back the bile climbing up my throat at the sight of such a senseless murder. When the cannon fired Thresh got off of the boy and turned to me.

"Thank you," he said. I tried to keep the surprise off of my face. "But you're going to have to understand that I need to kill you." I crouched lower. Now he was circling me.

My opponent seemed to be twice my height and made entirely of muscle. I watched him carefully, searching for the signs that he was about to spring. We watched each other silently. Finally I made the decision to leap at his legs. He was put off guard. I pinned his knife hand down with my injured arm. My eyes blurred but I focused on him. I brought my knife down on his throat.

"I'm sorry," I said. I took his knife from his hand, ignoring his weak protests and brought it down on his heart. I got up off of him and walked away. I made my way into the woods and listened as the cannon fire echoed through the woods. 22 down. 1 to go.

I will make it home to Katniss. I have to.


	18. The Victor

**xXASupernaturalHungerForVicXx: We all love Thresh *sighs*…Boy from one is one of the last 2 standing. Thanks for the review =D (::)**

**Pita-BreaD-RoCkS: There's no place like home, There's no place like home…that's the first thing I thought when I read 'He has to get home to Katniss, he has to get home to Katniss' =D. I'm having Peeta be so brutal because he's so alone. He feels like he **_**has**_** to get home to her. He has to apologize for not saving Prim and he has to keep the promise he made to Rue. Boy from one is his last opponent. He'll get more innocent Peetaish soon…=D**

**Sunshine Through The Storm: I hate killing off leading characters. It hurts me =( But he didn't know Thresh and he feels like he **_**has **_**to go home to Katniss so…**

**Jaymari: Thank you =D Here's your next chapter for ya!**

**Faerie0975: Just boy from 1, though I'm sure you've already figured that out =D Trying to keep the chapters coming for all you loverly readers!!**

**Kitty Bridgeta: Optimism is amazing…to bad I'm a pessimist =P thanx though…I'll try to resist killing off Peeta but…who knows.**

**I'd now like to dedicate this chapter toooooo *drum roll***

**xXASupernaturalHungerForVicXx, Pita-BreaD-RoCkS, Sunshine Through The Storm, Faerie0975, and Kitty Bridgeta for being my most faithful reviewers =D**

**Again I have to make up a character description because it's NOT ON THE WEB**

**EVERYTHING IS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE INTERNET!!! IT'S AN F-ING LAWWW!!!**

**(or at least it should be)**

I finally got far enough away so that the scent of death was no longer lingering in my nose. I looked down at myself. I was covered in blood. The sight of it made my stomach churn. I made my way to the nearest set of bushes and coughed up bile. I hadn't eaten for at least 48 hours. I needed to get to the river and get something to drink and find something to eat in the forest. Maybe I should go back to the Cornucopia. There might be leftover supplies there. Unlikely, but possible.

I straightened up and tried to find the river. After an hour of mindless wandering I was exhausted. If the boy from District 1 showed up now, I was done for. The sun was high in the sky so I knew it was a bad idea to rest now, so I kept moving forward.

Suddenly I heard a low growl behind me.

"Shit," I muttered as I slowly turned around. I froze in shock. I was staring right into the eyes of about a dozen wolves. They looked hungry, and somewhat familiar. Not knowing what to do I let my instincts take over. Slowly I walked away from the wolves. A low snarl sounded from one of their throats, the smallest ones. It had a blonde coat and blue eyes kind of like…Prim!

No. This was a mistake. But sure enough the second smallest wolf had a dark coat and brown eyes. And there! In the back the girl with the berries! She had the same color red hair.

Impossible. Absolutely impossible. It had to all be in my head. I didn't have enough time to think. As soon as I started to figure it out they jumped. I turned and ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I ran straight through the forest, twisting and trying to break the trail.

My breath started getting harsher and my lungs felt like they were going to explode. I had gone beyond the point of feeling my legs but I kept running. My ankle was in so much pain and it seemed to be getting worse. The agony was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. I didn't think I could make it. I kept going, trying to keep my weight off of the injured leg but failing.

The wolves never slowed. They were so close I could feel their hot breath on the back of my legs. I kept running. My clothes were torn as I ran, leaving them in shreds. My chest felt like it was burning. Finally we broke through to a clearing. I could see the Cornucopia just ahead of me. The gold shone in the sunshine and it looked like heaven to me.

At that moment I forgot about Katniss and Rue and Prim. That golden horn took up all my thoughts and I ran to it harder and faster than I had ever run to anything in my entire life. I ran around to the back of the horn and leaped up as high as I could. I used the weaving as handholds and flew up to the top. The metal was burning hot after sitting in the sun. Some of the wolves were near the front of the 20 foot horn, jumping and snapping at me. A few were at the back trying to follow me. Their claws scraped against the metal creating an awful sound.

At that point death seemed better than spending days alone on top of this burning metal surrounded by hungry wolves. Suddenly there was a break in the forest. I could barely make out a figure running towards the lake. It was followed by another group of wolves. I quickly counted them all. Twenty-two. I guess it wasn't just in my head. The figure dove into the water, followed by the pack, half of which jumped in after him and the other half circled the lake.

The wolves caught him. I could hear the figures shrieks of agony. I didn't want to give the figure a title. I knew who he had to be but if I feigned ignorance, it seemed more dreamlike; like it wasn't happening to me but to someone miles and miles away.

I expected it to end quickly. I expected the cannon to ring and to be brought away from this hell hole and brought back to Katniss. I expected to be taken away from the place that made me a murderer. But I wasn't that lucky.

The wolves dragged the figure from the lake and slowly started eating him alive. My empty stomach rolled and once again I found myself coughing up bile. I felt dizzy and nauseas. I wanted to die so much that I was willing to throw myself from this horn. Pain would be better than this waiting. Death would be better than this waiting. Eternal damnation would be better than this waiting.

But these games were created to torture you in the most unbelievable ways.

In that instant I realized how evil these games are. I realized how foul and horrible the Capitol was for putting up through this kind of torture. I knew this before I had entered the games, but never had I felt such an anger boiling inside of me. My hands were shaking and my thoughts suddenly became clear. I wanted to lift my face to the cameras and scream to them that I will not stand for their abuse of the Districts that give them everything. I refuse to starve when they have food. I refuse to fight for their entertainment. I refuse to let them kill another innocent child. I refuse to give them a winner.

I wanted to hurl myself down there and kill both the figure and myself. To show them that they don't own us. That we are our own people. I wanted to start a rebellion of my own. I wanted it so bad that I actually lifted my face up and said one word.

"No."

But that was all I could do. I knew that the Capitol would take it just as it is, as a direct threat against them. They would go to District 12 and they would kill everyone I ever loved. They would kill my parents, my brothers. They would kill my friends.

But most importantly they would kill Katniss. I couldn't let that happen. So I sat on that horn for what felt like an eternity, listening to the screams of my last opponent and fighting to keep my sanity. I sat there with the wolves trying to kill me.

Finally the final cannon rang.

"Congratulations, Peeta Mellark, winner of the 74th Annual Hunger Games!"

I looked up and saw the hovercraft appear to take me away from the arena.

I didn't get it though. They called me a winner. I certainly didn't feel like I won anything.


	19. The Ceremony

**I'm not doing dedications this time because the story's a little more important.**

**Thank you all for your very generous reviews and helpful criticism.**

**Special thanks to ****Claratrix LeChatham**** for making me laugh on a really crappy day.**

**Sorry guys!**

Peeta P.O.V

The announcer's words rang through the arena. I stayed sitting on top of the Cornucopia.

The sun stayed hot. My arm and ankle continued throbbing. My throat was painfully dry. My head throbbed and my vision blurred. There was blood dripping into my eyes from some cut I didn't care enough to examine.

After what could be a few seconds of a few hours, a hovercraft came. A rope lowered from it. Reluctantly, I grabbed onto it. This time, I'm glad that my hands were frozen on the rope. I'm not sure whether or not I have the will to hold on by myself. The rope slowly pulled me into the hovercraft. The metal rope was a relief after the unbearable heat of the Cornucopia. The rope pulled me up until I was on the floor of the hovercraft, then it released me. The second I was free I sunk to my knees. Doctors dressed in clean white coats surrounded me. Their cold hands pulled me into a room. They pushed me into a chair and started examining my injuries. They grabbed my ankle and rotated it. I gripped the arm of the chair causing pain to shoot up my arm. Their stony fingers kept prodding me until I started feeling claustrophobic.

"Stop," I said, straining against their invasive arms. They ignored me. "I said _stop._" I struggled against them, trying to push them away with my injured arm. They called in more doctors and had them hold me down.

"Calm down," the doctor holding down my left arm and shoulder said. I shook my head sharply making the man holding it squeak in surprise. The one holding my left arm motioned to a nurse. I saw her carrying a needle.

"No!" I protested. I felt the needle slide into my arm, and then nothing.

* * *

When I wake up I'm in another white room. This one has no windows. There's a table and a chair next to the bed which I'm lying on. Around me there are dozens of beeping machines. The machines are connected to tubes which are pumping some vile looking white liquid into my left arm.

Hesitantly, I move my injured arm, readying myself against the pain that's sure to come. Surprisingly I feel nothing. I sit up meaning to examine my arm more closely. The movement causes my head to spin. I lay back down. I take a deep breath and sit up nice and slowly. Much better.

I take a good look at both of my arms. Not only are the scratches and scars from the Hunger Games gone, all the scars from a lifetime of burning myself are gone too. I sit up and realized I'm naked. Great.

An Avox enters and leaves a tray by my bed. It's a bowl of clear broth, some applesauce and a small glass of water. I wrinkle my nose in disgust. It doesn't look like nearly enough for someone who's spent the last week or so malnourished and dehydrated. As disappointed as I am, I gratefully eat the food given to me. Although I feel better than I have in weeks I'm still exhausted. With a stomach more full then it's been in a long time, I quickly sink back into sleep.

* * *

When I wake up the tubes are gone. At the foot of the bed there's a pile of clothes. I flinch and turn away. It's the same thing they had us wear going into the arena. I touch the rough material. Why does the Capitol insist on being so cruel to its victor? Reluctantly, I pull on the clothes. I'm just pulling on my shirt when I hear the door open.

"Hello, hello, hello!" said the high, chirpy voice that was unmistakably Effie's. I turn and see Portia, Haymitch, and Effie in the doorway. I walk over to them quickly, finding that my head only spins a little this time, and make my way over to them. They are the first familiar, friendly faces I've seen in days. Effie gives me a big hug.

"Hey Effie," I say. My voice sounds older, sadder. She smiles her huge, overly enthusiastic smile.

Haymitch and I exchange a glance. I look at him, seeking his silent approval. He grabs me around the shoulder and we exchange an awkward hug. We quickly break apart and, he nods at me, giving me a slow, sad smile. Portia also gives me a hug.

"Come on, honey. I have to get you ready for tonight." I sigh. Of course we have to get ready. Tonight they're going to put me on stage and recap to me every agonizing moment of the games. Tonight I will officially be crowned a victor. I follow her out of the room. She leads me to an elevator.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"Underneath the training center." The elevator takes us straight up to the 12th floor. Outside of the elevator, waiting excitedly for my arrival, are my prep team. They congratulate me. There praise seems empty to me. These are the epitome of Capitol people. They love their style, their food, and most importantly their games. The victor is like royalty to them. They are not at all grounded. The people who congratulate me back home in District 12 are the ones that are real to me. The ones that suffer and have a grasp on how much suffering is involved to win the games. I'm grabbed and dragged into a room with a table hosting a large, delicious looking feast. My mouth waters when I see the roast beef, peas and mashed potatoes. I eat it slowly, savoring the taste and not wanting my stomach to fill up too much.

When I'm done I'm lead to a room off of the dining room. My prep team quickly gets to work. After they've cleaned me with the awful harsh soap that they had at the beginning of this hole they proceed to and shave, wax, and pluck me until I'm bear. They gel my hair so that it looks like I just rolled out of bed and outline my eyes in black. I take a quick look in the mirror. I'm surprised to see that I look healthy. When I'm finally clean, smooth, and what they consider 'stage ready', Portia came in and handed me my outfit.

"You did good," she told me, gripping my hands.

"Thanks, Portia," I say.

"I'm so honored to be your stylist." She gave me a small on peck on the cheek, then backed up and let me get dressed. I quickly pulled on the clothes she had given me. I found I was wearing a long-sleeved dress shirt. It was made of a sheer, yellow material so that when I moved my arm the fabric shimmered like candlelight. I was wearing black pants and shiny black dress shoes.

"You look great," Portia said. I gave her one more hug and then she led me, once again, to the elevator. She leads me under the stage where the ceremony is taking place. I hear the thundering sound of the crowd above me. I make my way over to Effie, Haymitch, Portia and the rest of my prep team. Each of us are going to rise from beneath the stage; first Effie followed by Portia and the prep team, Haymitch, then finally, me.

We each make our way to the platforms that are going to lift us onto the stage. Haymitch quickly makes his way over to me. He looks me in the eye. My hands are trembling. The sooner this is over the sooner I can go home and the sooner I see Katniss. Haymitch noticed my shaking hands.

"You're going to do fine," he told me. "You did good kid."

"Thanks, Haymitch," I say to him. He nods, clears his throat and makes his way back over to his platform.

I heard the anthem boom through the stadium and Caeser Flickerman great the anxious audience. I wring my hands nervously. _You're going to do fine_, I hear Haymitch say in my head. I took a deep breath and pasted a large, fake smile on my face. I thought of all the past victors who stood on this platform like me. Some afraid, some proud. I heard the crowd applaud for Effie. I imagined Portia and the prep team enthusiastically waving to the audience and Haymitch gruffly following the five of them. The platform liftsme up and I'm on stage.

I looked out over the audience. I tried not to let the millions of eyes bother me. I walked briskly over to Caeser. I wave to the crowd. They go wild. The roar is deafening.

"Let's hear it for our victor, Peeta Mellark!" Somehow, the cheering gets louder. I smile wider and wave to them again. Caeser grabs my hand and pumps it enthusiastically. We sit down.

"Seems you're very popular, Mr. Mellark," I laugh. "So what does it feel like being the winner of the 74th Hunger Games?" _Lie_, my instincts command me.

"I'm very excited. But you want the truth, Caeser?" He nods enthusiastically. "I just want to get home to Katniss and apologize for not saving Prim." The crowd goes almost completely quiet. I hear some sniffling from them.

"I'm sure you're not the only one who wants to see you and Katniss's reunion, am I right?" Caeser asks. The crowd reacts violently, cheering and screaming. "How much do you want to see her?" he asks me. The crowd urges me on.

"More then I think I've wanted anything in my entire life. I think I want to see her more than I wanted to win the Hunger Games." He crowd let out a chorus of sighs and whistles. I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"Well, then, I have good news for you Peeta!" he says. My heart speeds up. Are they going to skip all of these useless ceremonies and just send me home?

"What are you up to now?" I ask him kiddingly. The crowd laughs.

"Now we've never done this before but, these are special circumstances." Maybe I am going home! "Katniss, come on out here." My heart speeds up in my chest. I stand up looking for her.

Up from the stage rises a nervous looking Katniss. She looks unnatural in the yellow dress that matches my shirt. The stage lights wash out her face. She's still beautiful. She's still Katniss.

I rush over to her. I stop in front of her, unsure of her reaction to all of this. I promised her I'd make sure Prim survived but here I am, a victor, and Prim's dead. She rushes into my arms. I wrap my arms around her and kiss her head.

"I'm sorry," I tell her. "I'm sorry I'm here and Prim's not." The crowd reacts but I don't care about them anymore. I only have eyes for Katniss.

"It's okay," she tells me. "It's okay now." I crush her against her then pull away again. I take her face in my hand and stare into her beautiful brown eyes. Her cheeks are soft and warm. She stretches up onto her toes. I close the distance between our lips and kiss her.

I hold her against me. I take a step away from her, unwilling but making sure I don't forget the audience watching us. I grab her hands and pull her over to the couch. She sits next to me, her hand still holding mine. I guess she thought that we've been apart to long and leans against me. I put my arm around her and pulled her closer to me. Caeser makes a few comments on how adorable we look and we exchange a few funny comments. Then the show begins.

The lights dim and the seal shows up on the showing screen beside us. I'm not ready to watch this. These were the shortest Hunger Games in 47 years. There's going to be more details then there usually is. I realize that I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready to watch my friends die. Katniss squeezes my hand. I look down at her and she's looking up at me. I squeeze her hand back. I can do anything with Katniss here with me.

The first part of the program is dedicated to the pregame stuff. This I can tolerate. Katniss running to try and take Prim's place, the desperation clear on her face. Prim and I in the chariot, looking fierce covered in flames. Prim and Rue at the opening interviews looking younger and more innocent than ever.

Then they flash to the games. They show the three of us, Prim, Rue and I, running off to the woods. The program is focused on my story, filling in the parts I missed. The first new thing I see is the District 4 players plotting against us. My blood boils beneath my skin. Katniss pulls herself closer to me. I bring my other arm around her, protecting her.

Then the fights on. I feel sick. I watch as I murder the two other tributes. Katniss is crying.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper. I don't want her to see this. I don't want her to hate me. I love her too much. She loosens her grip on me and kisses me. We quickly break apart, wanting to lose ourselves in each other but knowing that we can't. Not here in front of our entire country, and probably more importantly our parents.

I want to shelter her from the death that's about to occur but I know I'm powerless to do anything. I'm on now. I desperately check Prim's pulse. We all know how this ends. I feel a tear run down my cheek. Katniss has her head buried into my shoulder. I rub her back in a desperate attempt to comfort her. I say my goodbyes to Prim in my own silent way and then the camera closes in on me walking and deliberately turning from the destruction. Another camera closes in on my face and shows my short apology to Katniss. Katniss's body was shaking against mine. I felt helpless, sitting here, watching her pain and being powerless to do anything about it.

Then they show Rue. This I can't watch. It's too painful. I start to avert my eyes but catch Caeser's eye. He gives a small jerk to the screen. I realize he's trying to help me. My reaction to all of this is also being televised. The Capitol doesn't want a weak victor. I stare at the screen, my ears ringing as I watch Rue die for a second time. When Rue brings up Katniss she squeezes my hand. I nod as Rue makes me promise to win. I understand that know. She needed me to win. My speech to her seems stupid now after the heartfelt goodbye she gave me. No wonder I didn't get any sponsors. Who would want to sponsor the boy who cried at the death of his opponents?

But they weren't my opponents. They were my allies. They were my friends. I will forever miss them.

It moves on to show me falling into a river. This seems almost comical after the events that came before. I laughed at the expression on my face as I fell into the water. I looked so shocked. I watched my cleverness as I climbed out of the water and knew just what to do. This was the turning point in the games for me. Then they showed my other kills.

I stared blankly at the screen. I refused to react. I was devastated at how bloodthirsty and cruel I was.

The last thing they showed was the wolves and the desperate dash through the woods. They showed only the parts that favored the games, cutting out most of the torture and my silent rebellion. My hand tightened around Katniss's and she rubbed my back with her other hand trying to calm me down.

Finally the showing was over. Caeser said goodbye to the audience and Katniss and I were free to go. I had never been more relieved in my entire life.


	20. AN: Choices

Alternate Endings:

Dear Reader,

Here's my idea. I realize that it ended very abruptly. So I'm going to give you, my lovely reader, a choice. I'm going to post 2 alternate endings.

So here's your choice.

Chapter 20: The Fairy Tale ending. This will be your happily ever after ending. Peeta goes home, everyone's in love with him. The world is happy and there's a whole life ahead of them.

You can also chose to read:

Chapter 21+22: The realistic ending. This will take place during Chapter 17 (where Peeta kills Thresh). This will be the ending that probably should have happened, but didn't because I didn't want to kill Peeta off. Chapter 22 is Katniss's reaction.

You're free (of course) to read both endings. Reviews are welcome [hint hint =)] Thanks for reading!


	21. The Happily Ever After

Peeta POV:

"Did you really eat like this _every day_?" Katniss asks me, staring at the spread of food in front of us. I laugh.

"Yep!" I say cheerfully. We're on the train back to District 12. She told me she doesn't blame me for Prim's death. We sleep in the same bed together. I have nightmares about the arena, but whenever I do she wakes me up. Having Katniss there when I wake up makes everything better.

"What's this?" she asks, holding up a cup of warm brown liquid.

"Hot chocolate," I say. Her nose wrinkles in disgust. "Try it," I insist. She sips at it.

"Mmmm…" she says. She pulls the cup away and she has a brown, chocolate mustache on her face. I laugh and kiss it off.

"Knock it off kids," Haymitch says, entering the dining area. Katniss looks at me, slightly embarrassed. Haymitch slaps Katniss on the shoulder. "Just kidding, kiddo. Mack all you want. Just don't make me watch it." An Avox brought in a bottle of alcohol for Haymitch and he immediately started knocking back glass after glass.

I roll my eyes. Katniss digs into her meal, and I follow her example.

"How far away are we?" I ask Haymitch.

"Couple miles," he says. His voice is already starting to slur. I sigh. "I can drink," Haymitch slurs, "If I wanna drink! There 'snot nobody stoppin' me!" Katniss and I quickly finish eating and leave the room. We spend the next few hours on a couch in a different room, stealing kisses and talking.

We hear a knock on the door and a voice telling us that we're in District 12.

"Show time," I say. I grab her hand and we walk to the doors of the car. Haymitch is standing (or, more accurately, swaying) in front of me. He walks into the streets, waving. Katniss and I follow him out. The crowd full of the entire population of District 12 shouts in happiness of our arrival.

I immediately look for my parents. They spot me before I spot them. They rush out of the crowd. My mom grabs me up in a huge hug. She's never hugged me this way before. She clings to me and cries into my chest. I pat her back.

"It's okay, Mom. I'm home. I'm okay." She kisses me on the cheek.

"My boy. My sweet, sweet boy." There's a smile plastered on my face. She releases me and I turn to see my father.

"Peeta!" he says jovially. He grabs me around the shoulders and hugs me to him. "You came home," he whispered to me.

"I came home." He smiles at Katniss. We're ushered to a room in the presidents house where a huge celebration is being held in the event of my return. The evening goes by in a blur of eating and dancing with Katniss. All I want is to be alone with her. Mercifully, the night ends soon. Katniss and I walk through the dark streets together.

We stop at the fence and face each other, hands clasped together. The moonlight that hit's her face brightens her eyes. I lean down and kiss her. We stand, forehead to forehead, staring at each other. In an instant the world becomes clear to me and I know exactly what I want. I make a split second decision.

"Katniss, do you think you'll ever marry me?" Her eyes widen.

"What?" she asks in shock.

"Do you think we'll ever get married? Not today, or next week, or next month, or next year. Maybe not until we're 50 years old and everything's beyond settled. But someday, before we die, do you think we'll get married." She's silent. Her hands are still clutching mine. She kisses me on the lips.

"Yes," she whispers, a smile on her lips. I kiss her again. "Yes," she says again. "And not when we're old. Soon. Now. Anytime you want. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." A grin explodes across my face. I kiss her once, and again. We walk the streets, hand in hand.

I never let go.


	22. The End

Peeta P.O.V

The next morning I woke up to the sound of cracking branches. I flipped over on the tree branch so I was facing the ground. Under me I saw the girl from 8 and the boy from 3. What were they doing together? Districts 3 and 8 have never been known to team up before. I didn't know what to do. This would be an ideal time to take out more opponents, but I had no weapon.

To throw away this opportunity would be stupid. They were right there. Two versus one. The odds weren't in my favor but I could do this. I could beat them.

I wasn't positive though. I can't die for a stupid mistake. I had to get back to Katniss. During my internal struggle I saw another boy (the boy from 11?) launch himself out of the bushes.

He slashed a knife across the girl from 8's throat. She screamed and collapsed onto the ground. The boy from 3 pulled out a knife and flung himself at the boy from 11 (I think). The boy from 11 moved out of the way just in time. The boy from 3 overshot, but spun quickly before he could run into anything.

"What are you doing, Thresh?" I heard the boy from 3 say. Thresh? They knew each other?

"You killed my district partner. I told you not to kill her," Thresh hissed. They were circling each other now. I heard the cannon fire. The girl from 8 was dead. They were now distracted. If I moved fast enough…I took a deep breath and made my way over to a branch hanging above the fight. I perched on it and waited until the boy from 3 was under me.

"I didn't kill…" he started to say, but I had already jumped. I landed right on top of him, knocking the breath out of him. My already injured ankle throbbed and my wrist was in agony.

I snatched the knife from his hand and leaped up. Thresh stared at me, his eyes filled with fury and something else that I couldn't quite make out. He quickly turned from me to the boy from 3 and jumped. The boy, now weaponless, ran. I watched as Thresh tackled him to the ground and buried the knife into his back over and over again. I swallowed back the bile climbing up my throat at the sight of such a senseless murder. When the cannon fired Thresh got off of the boy and turned to me.

"Thank you," he said. I tried to keep the surprise off of my face. "But you're going to have to understand that I need to kill you." I crouched lower. Now he was circling me.

He lunges at me. I jump out of his way. He starts running past me, sets a foot and spins. He throws a knife my way. I lunge out of the way. The knife cuts my upper arm. The blood runs down my arm. He smiles and lunges at me again. I lift my knife and swing wildly. He tackles me to the ground. My knife hits his arm and stab until only the hilt is showing. He screams out. He releases the knife in his hand and I kick up at his stomach. He falls back and I use this as my opportunity to escape. I stand and run.

But I'm not that lucky. I hear another scream and, foolishly, turn. The tribute from District 2 has stabbed Thresh in the back and has his eyes set on me. He runs toward me and I run away. He's faster. He tackles me and my face makes contact with the ground. I taste blood.

He flips me over onto my back, using his superior strength and skill to overpower me.

"I want to see the look on your face when I kill you," he hisses to me. His hot breath touches my face. I have a horrible feeling this is going to be the last thing I feel. I stare into his eyes, defiant. I try to push him off but he's stronger than Thresh and better at fighting. "Don't struggle. It will only prolong your death." He laughs at me. I refuse to show weakness.

The knife he holds in his hand brushes against my face, cutting into my skin. He traces it down my cheek. Blood falls down my face.

"Your little girlfriends about to watch you die," he says. _Katniss!_ I don't want her to watch me die. The fight grows in me and I struggle more. The knife moves down and digs into my face.

"No!" I hiss. He laughs again. His knife cuts deeper into my neck. I bare my teeth. He smiles. Then the knife is plunged into my neck. The pain is more than anything I've ever experienced. My eyes roll back in my head. The blood gurgles out of my throat. The knife is plunged into my chest again and again.

You know how everyone says that when you die, your entire life flashes before your eyes? It's true. Except for me, I saw my entire life and everything that could have been. Maybe it's something to do with dying young.

The only regret's I have are not telling Katniss I loved her earlier and not fighting harder to keep my promise to Rue. My world goes dark and the last of my blood, my fight, and my will to survive leaks out of me. My mouth opens and weakly forms one word, my last word:

"Katniss."


	23. The Broken Heart

Katniss P.O.V

I hear it but I don't believe it. The cannon fire. The announcement of the winner. The bleeding form that's Peeta lying at the victors feet.

I notice Gale's hands on me. I acknowledge his voice speaking to me. But I don't _feel_ his hands. I don't _hear_ his voice.

The realization starts lapping at my brain, like waves. _No._ I think.

"No, no, no, no, no," I mutter. My voice vibrates in my throat. Gales arms are around my shoulders. All at once the waves of realization slap me in the face. I get it. He's dead. He's gone.

"NO!" I scream, jumping up. Gale hold me to him. "LET GO OF ME!" I scream. I thrash against his arms. "LET GO!" I loosen my arms and pound at his chest. The tears are pouring down my face.

"Katniss," Gale says calmly. "You need to calm down."

"CALM DOWN!" I scream. "YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN!" I'm sobbing now. The world is swollen. Everything feels distant and unreal.

"Everything's going to be okay, Katniss."

"NO GALE! NO IT'S NOT!" His arms are still trying to restrain me. He attempts to comfort me. But it's not Gale's arms I want. It's Peeta's. Now I can never have those arms; that comfort. "PRIM'S DEAD! PEETA'S DEAD! THEIR GONE! THEIR NOT COMING BACK!" I have to make him understand.

"I know, Katniss. But this is not going to help them. This won't bring them back."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" I pound against his chest. "I LOVE HIM! I LOVE HIM AND HE'S GONE!" I said it. I said I loved him. My knees grow weak and I collapse. "I love him," I whisper weakly. "I love him and I've never told him." Gale is holding me to him. I feel horrible, telling him like this. I know how Gale feels about me. I know how much he must be hurting. But I'm not dead. Peeta is. Gale rubs my back. Tears are streaming down my face. "I can't believe he's dead."

A few days later, Peeta's body arrives in District 12. The cuts on his face have been stitched up. It almost looks like they weren't there to begin with.

I had talked to Peeta's family earlier that week. His father told me I was welcome at the funeral. We talked and cried for hours. His mother was in her room. She refused to see me.

The day of Peeta's funeral, I went to the meadow and picked a huge bouquet of dandelions, the flowers that gave me hope after he gave me that burned loaf of bread.

His entire funeral went by in a blur. I stayed until after everyone had left. I brought the dandelions to the pile of dirt that is his grave. He was buried under a tree. I spent some time carving his name into the tree with a nail. When that job was finished, I lay the dandelions on the dirt. I sit by his grave until the sun sets and the moon comes out. Finally, I decide it's time to go home. If I stay any longer my mother and Gale will worry. Gale's staying with us until we get over the loss. I don't think I ever will. Peeta and I loved each other. Now he'll never now. I kneel before his grave and do something I've never done before; prayed.

"Peeta, I don't know if you can hear me, but I love you. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone and more than I ever will love anyone. I wish you could have heard me say it. I don't ever want to stop saying it. I love you, Peeta. I love you, I love you, I love you." I kissed the tip of my fingers and touched his name, scratched into the tree. Peeta Mellark. My one and only love. I left to go home, then never left his side again.


End file.
